Geranium chimborazense
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Geranium chimborazense faces significant pressure from agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in the high-altitude páramo ecosystems of Ecuador. The species' restricted range on volcanic slopes 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, potentially reducing available habitat for this high-elevation endemic.
Habitat
This endemic geranium inhabits high-altitude páramo grasslands and rocky volcanic slopes between 3,500-4,200 meters elevation in the Ecuadorian Andes. It typically grows in well-drained soils among tussock grasses and cushion plants in the harsh, wind-exposed conditions characteristic of tropical alpine environments.