Ilex auricula
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Ilex auricula faces severe pressure from deforestation and habitat conversion in its native cloud forest ecosystems of Central America. Agricultural expansion, particularly coffee cultivation and cattle ranching, has fragmented the remaining montane forest patches where this holly species persists. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes and temperature ranges essential for cloud forest ecosystems, potentially pushing suitable habitat to higher elevations where less area is available.
Habitat
Ilex auricula inhabits montane cloud forests and humid highland forests, typically occurring at elevations between 1,500-2,500 meters. These ecosystems are characterized by persistent cloud cover, high humidity, and cool temperatures that support diverse epiphytic communities.