Blakea hispida
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Blakea hispida faces significant pressure from deforestation and habitat fragmentation across its Central American range, particularly in Costa Rica and Panama where cloud forest ecosystems are being converted for agriculture and development. The species' specialized epiphytic lifestyle makes it especially vulnerable to forest disturbance, as it requires mature trees with stable microclimates. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for this cloud forest specialist.
Habitat
Blakea hispida is endemic to cloud forests of Central America, typically found as an epiphyte on mature trees at elevations between 1,200-2,500 meters. The species requires the consistently humid conditions and stable temperatures characteristic of montane cloud forest ecosystems.