Cinchona nitida
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Cinchona nitida faces severe pressure from deforestation and agricultural expansion throughout its Andean cloud forest range. Historical over-harvesting for quinine extraction decimated wild populations, while ongoing habitat fragmentation isolates remaining stands. Climate change poses an additional threat as warming temperatures push suitable habitat to higher elevations, reducing available range for this temperature-sensitive species.
Habitat
Cinchona nitida inhabits humid montane cloud forests and elfin woodlands at elevations between 1,500-3,000 meters in the tropical Andes. The species requires consistent moisture and cool temperatures, typically growing on steep slopes with well-drained soils in areas of frequent fog and mist.