Festuca caldasii
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Festuca caldasii faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in its high-altitude Andean habitat. The species' restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat conversion for potato cultivation and intensive cattle grazing. Climate change poses an additional threat as warming temperatures push suitable habitat to higher elevations with limited available space.
Habitat
This endemic grass species inhabits high-altitude páramo and alpine grasslands in the Colombian Andes, typically occurring between 3,000-4,200 meters elevation. It grows in well-drained soils on steep slopes and ridge systems where it forms part of specialized high-mountain plant communities.