Asterogyne yaracuyense
Photo: (c) Miguel Angel Torres Vargas, all rights reserved, uploaded by Miguel Angel Torres Vargas
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Asterogyne yaracuyense faces severe threats from deforestation and agricultural expansion within its extremely limited range in Venezuela's Yaracuy state. The species' restricted distribution to montane cloud forests makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, as these ecosystems are increasingly converted for coffee cultivation and cattle ranching. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for cloud forest persistence at higher elevations.
Habitat
This palm species is endemic to montane cloud forests in Venezuela's Yaracuy state, typically occurring at elevations between 1,200-1,800 meters. It inhabits the understory of these moisture-rich forests where persistent cloud cover creates the humid microclimate essential for its survival.