Cynanchum taihangense
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Cynanchum taihangense faces severe pressure from limestone quarrying and mining activities throughout the Taihang Mountains, which directly destroys its specialized rocky habitat. Agricultural expansion and infrastructure development have fragmented remaining populations, while the species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the specific microclimate conditions this endemic plant requires in its mountainous refugia.
Habitat
This endemic species inhabits limestone cliffs, rocky crevices, and steep slopes in the Taihang Mountains of northern China. It typically grows in well-drained, alkaline soils between rock formations at elevations ranging from 800 to 1,500 meters.