Brunellia zamorensis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Brunellia zamorensis faces severe pressure from ongoing deforestation and agricultural expansion throughout its limited range in Ecuador's Zamora-Chinchipe province. Mining activities, particularly for gold and copper, pose an escalating threat to the cloud forest ecosystems this endemic species depends upon. The species' restricted distribution makes it exceptionally vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, with remaining populations increasingly isolated in forest patches.
Habitat
This endemic tree species inhabits montane cloud forests and humid upper montane forests between 1,800-2,800 meters elevation in the Cordillera del Cóndor region of southeastern Ecuador. It requires the persistent moisture and stable temperatures characteristic of these high-altitude cloud forest ecosystems.
