Gasteranthus ternatus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Gasteranthus ternatus faces severe pressure from deforestation and habitat fragmentation across its limited range in the tropical Andes. Agricultural expansion, particularly cattle ranching and crop cultivation, has eliminated much of its cloud forest habitat. The species' restricted distribution makes it extremely vulnerable to localized threats, with remaining populations increasingly isolated in forest fragments that may be too small to maintain viable breeding populations.
Habitat
Gasteranthus ternatus inhabits humid montane cloud forests and elfin woodlands at elevations between 1,500-2,800 meters in the tropical Andes. The species requires the consistently moist, epiphyte-rich environments characteristic of these high-altitude forests, often growing as an epiphyte or terrestrial herb in areas with persistent fog and high humidity.
