CR

Clusia skotaster

Declining

Overview

Clusia skotaster is a species of flowering plant in the family Clusiaceae. It is found only in Cotopaxi Province of Ecuador. Its natural habitat is tropical montane rain forest from 1,500 to 2,000 metres elevation.

Clusia skotaster faces severe threats from deforestation and habitat conversion in its restricted montane cloud forest range. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while climate change poses additional risks by altering the specific moisture and temperature conditions required for cloud forest ecosystems. Agricultural expansion and infrastructure development continue to fragment the remaining suitable habitat.

Threat summary

Habitat

Clusia skotaster is endemic to montane cloud forests, typically occurring at elevations between 1,500-2,500 meters where persistent cloud cover creates the humid conditions essential for its survival. The species requires the specific microclimate of these high-altitude tropical forests with their characteristic fog, cool temperatures, and high moisture levels.

Other threatened species in CLUSIACEAE

VU

Arawakia macrocarpa

Declining
VU

Chrysochlamys guatemaltecana

Declining
VU

Garcinia lujae

Declining
CR

Garcinia cincta

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Clusia skotaster classified as Critically Endangered?
Clusia skotaster 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. Clusia skotaster faces severe threats from deforestation and habitat conversion in its restricted montane cloud forest range. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while climate change poses additional risks by altering the specific moisture and temperature conditions required for cloud forest ecosystems. Agricultural expansion and infrastructure development continue to fragment the remaining suitable habitat.
Where does Clusia skotaster live?
Clusia skotaster occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Clusia skotaster?
The main threats to Clusia skotaster are 2.1, ai-1, ai-2, and ai-3. 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.