Ceratostema lanceolatum
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Ceratostema lanceolatum faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and cattle ranching in Colombia's montane regions, which directly destroys its specialized cloud forest habitat. Mining activities and infrastructure development further fragment the remaining forest patches where this endemic shrub survives. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for cloud forest ecosystems, potentially shifting suitable habitat to higher elevations where less area is available.
Habitat
This endemic Colombian shrub inhabits cloud forests and montane humid forests at elevations between 2,000-3,200 meters in the Cordillera Oriental. It requires the persistent moisture and cool temperatures characteristic of these high-altitude ecosystems, typically growing in areas with frequent fog and high humidity.
