Gentianella jamesonii
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Gentianella jamesonii faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in Ecuador's high-altitude páramo ecosystems. The species' restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat conversion for potato cultivation and cattle ranching. Climate change poses an additional threat as warming temperatures force alpine species to migrate upslope, with limited suitable habitat remaining at higher elevations.
Habitat
This endemic gentian inhabits high-altitude páramo grasslands and alpine meadows in the Ecuadorian Andes, typically occurring between 3,500-4,200 meters elevation. The species grows in moist, well-drained soils among tussock grasses and cushion plants characteristic of these montane tropical alpine ecosystems.