Ceratozamia kuesteriana
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Ceratozamia kuesteriana faces severe population decline due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development in its restricted range in Veracruz, Mexico. The species is further threatened by illegal collection for the horticultural trade, as cycads are highly valued ornamental plants. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the specific microclimate conditions this endemic species requires in its cloud forest habitat.
Habitat
This endemic cycad inhabits cloud forests and humid montane forests in the Sierra Madre Oriental of Veracruz, Mexico, typically growing on steep slopes with well-drained soils at elevations between 800-1,200 meters. The species requires the specific microclimate conditions provided by persistent cloud cover and high humidity levels characteristic of these montane ecosystems.
