Daphne sophia
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Daphne sophia faces severe pressure from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and urban development across its limited range in the eastern Mediterranean. Overgrazing by livestock has degraded the shrubland ecosystems where this endemic daphne naturally occurs. Climate change poses an additional threat through increased drought stress and altered precipitation patterns that affect the species' already restricted populations.
Habitat
Daphne sophia inhabits dry shrublands, rocky slopes, and Mediterranean maquis vegetation at elevations between 200-800 meters. The species typically grows in calcareous soils among other drought-adapted shrubs and herbs in areas with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.
