Mexipedium xerophyticum
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexipedium
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Mexipedium xerophyticum faces severe threats from limestone quarrying operations that directly destroy its specialized habitat on limestone cliffs and outcrops. The species' extremely restricted range in Oaxaca, Mexico, makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat modification and collection pressure from orchid enthusiasts. Climate change poses additional risks by altering the precise moisture and temperature conditions required for this xerophytic orchid's survival.
Habitat
This terrestrial orchid is endemic to limestone cliffs and rocky outcrops in the Sierra Madre del Sur of Oaxaca, Mexico. It grows in xerophytic conditions on vertical limestone faces and crevices, typically in areas with specific moisture retention and drainage characteristics.
