Oreopanax gargantae
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Oreopanax gargantae faces severe threats from ongoing deforestation and agricultural expansion within its extremely limited range in Costa Rica's montane forests. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, while climate change poses additional risks by altering the specific temperature and moisture conditions required for its survival in high-elevation cloud forest environments.
Habitat
This species is endemic to the montane cloud forests of Costa Rica, typically found at elevations between 1,500-2,500 meters where it grows in the understory and forest edges. It requires the specific humid, cool conditions characteristic of tropical montane cloud forests with persistent fog and high moisture levels.