Chamaedorea plumosa
CR

Chamaedorea plumosa

Declining

Photo: (c) Rouxne Botha, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Rouxne Botha

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Chamaedorea plumosa faces severe population decline primarily due to deforestation and habitat conversion for agriculture and cattle ranching in its limited Costa Rican range. The species is particularly vulnerable to palm heart harvesting, as local communities collect the growing tips for consumption, preventing regeneration. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the specific microclimate conditions this understory palm requires in montane cloud forests.

Threat summary

Habitat

This understory palm is endemic to the montane cloud forests of Costa Rica, typically growing at elevations between 1,200-2,000 meters. It thrives in the humid, shaded conditions beneath the forest canopy where consistent moisture from cloud cover creates the specific microclimate it requires.

Forest· majorForest - Subtropical/tropical moist lowland· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protection

Other threatened species in ARECACEAE

CR

Pelagodoxa mesocarpa

Declining
VU

Rafia

Raphia australis

Declining
Pinanga batanensisCR

Pinanga batanensis

Declining
CR

Pinanga glaucifolia

Declining

Threatened in Mexico

EN

Turbinicarpus horripilus

Declining
CR

Turbinicarpus mandragora

Declining
EN

Opuntia pachyrrhiza

Declining
EN

Arachnothryx tacanensis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Chamaedorea plumosa classified as Critically Endangered?
Chamaedorea plumosa is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Chamaedorea plumosa faces severe population decline primarily due to deforestation and habitat conversion for agriculture and cattle ranching in its limited Costa Rican range. The species is particularly vulnerable to palm heart harvesting, as local communities collect the growing tips for consumption, preventing regeneration. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the specific microclimate conditions this understory palm requires in montane cloud forests.
Where does Chamaedorea plumosa live?
Chamaedorea plumosa occurs in Mexico. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Chamaedorea plumosa?
The main threats to Chamaedorea plumosa are 2.1, 5.3, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.