Heliconia peteriana
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Heliconia peteriana faces significant pressure from deforestation and agricultural expansion throughout its limited range in Central America. The species' dependence on intact forest understory makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, as small forest patches cannot support viable populations of its specialized hummingbird pollinators. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering precipitation patterns essential for this moisture-dependent species.
Habitat
Heliconia peteriana inhabits the understory of humid lowland and montane forests, typically found at elevations between 100-1,200 meters. The species requires consistently moist conditions and partial shade, often growing along forest edges, stream banks, and in natural clearings within primary and secondary tropical forests.