Gasteranthus tenellus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Gasteranthus tenellus faces severe pressure from deforestation and habitat conversion throughout its limited range in the Andean cloud forests. Agricultural expansion, particularly cattle ranching and crop cultivation, has fragmented the species' specialized epiphytic habitat. The species' narrow altitudinal requirements make it particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, as warming temperatures force suitable habitat zones upslope into increasingly restricted areas.
Habitat
This epiphytic herb inhabits humid montane cloud forests at elevations between 1,500-2,800 meters in the Andes. It grows on moss-covered tree trunks and branches in areas with persistent fog and high humidity, requiring the specialized microclimate conditions found in undisturbed cloud forest ecosystems.