Calliandra carrascana
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Calliandra carrascana faces severe pressure from habitat conversion as its native Caatinga dry forest is cleared for agriculture and cattle ranching. The species' restricted range in northeastern Brazil makes it particularly vulnerable to localized threats, with fragmentation isolating remaining populations. Overgrazing by livestock degrades the understory vegetation where this shrub typically establishes, while periodic droughts intensified by climate change stress the already limited populations.
Habitat
This endemic shrub occurs in the Caatinga dry forest ecosystem of northeastern Brazil, typically growing in well-drained soils among thorny scrubland vegetation. It favors areas with seasonal rainfall patterns and can tolerate the harsh, semi-arid conditions characteristic of this unique biome.