Cotoneaster delphinensis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Cotoneaster delphinensis faces severe pressure from habitat degradation in its restricted alpine range in the French Alps. The species is particularly vulnerable to infrastructure development, recreational activities, and grazing pressure that fragments its already limited rocky habitat. Climate change poses an additional long-term threat by altering the montane conditions this endemic shrub requires for survival.
Habitat
This endemic shrub inhabits rocky slopes, cliff faces, and scree in the subalpine and alpine zones of the French Alps, typically between 1,500-2,500 meters elevation. It grows in calcareous soils among limestone outcrops and requires well-drained, sunny positions characteristic of high-altitude Mediterranean mountain environments.
