Astrocaryum echinatum
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Astrocaryum echinatum faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and cattle ranching throughout its Brazilian Cerrado range, with habitat conversion accelerating in recent decades. Selective logging targets this palm for its valuable timber and heart-of-palm, while frequent anthropogenic fires degrade remaining populations. Climate change compounds these pressures by altering precipitation patterns critical for seedling establishment and survival.
Habitat
This palm species inhabits gallery forests, woodland savannas, and transitional zones within the Brazilian Cerrado biome. It typically occurs along seasonal watercourses and in areas with well-drained soils at elevations between 400-1,200 meters.