Cercocarpus traskiae
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Cercocarpus traskiae faces severe threats from its extremely restricted range on Santa Catalina Island, where the entire population is confined to just a few square kilometers. Introduced herbivores, particularly feral goats and pigs, have severely degraded the native chaparral habitat through overgrazing and trampling. Fire suppression has altered natural fire cycles, leading to increased competition from invasive plant species that outcompete this slow-growing shrub for resources and space.
Habitat
Cercocarpus traskiae inhabits dry chaparral and coastal sage scrub communities on steep canyon slopes and ridges of Santa Catalina Island. This endemic shrub grows in rocky, well-drained soils at elevations between 400-1,500 feet, often in association with other native island chaparral species.