CR

Gleditsia vestita

Unknown

Overview

Gleditsia japonica, the Japanese locust, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to the eastern Himalayas, central and southern China, Manchuria, Korea, and central and southern Japan. It is used as a street tree in a number of cities in China and Europe.

Gleditsia vestita faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive habitat conversion for agriculture and urban development across its native range in China. The species is further threatened by overcollection for traditional medicine and timber use, combined with poor natural regeneration rates due to seed predation and limited suitable germination sites. Climate change exacerbates these pressures by altering precipitation patterns critical for seedling establishment.

Threat summary

Habitat

Gleditsia vestita occurs in temperate deciduous forests and woodland margins at elevations between 500-1,500 meters in central and eastern China. The species typically grows in well-drained soils along forest edges, river valleys, and hillside slopes where it can reach full sunlight exposure.

Forest· major

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Lonchocarpus crassispermus

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Senna viciifolia

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Gleditsia vestita classified as Critically Endangered?
Gleditsia vestita is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Gleditsia vestita faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive habitat conversion for agriculture and urban development across its native range in China. The species is further threatened by overcollection for traditional medicine and timber use, combined with poor natural regeneration rates due to seed predation and limited suitable germination sites. Climate change exacerbates these pressures by altering precipitation patterns critical for seedling establishment.
Where does Gleditsia vestita live?
Gleditsia vestita occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Gleditsia vestita?
The main threats to Gleditsia vestita are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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