Ilex wenchowensis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Ilex wenchowensis faces severe pressure from rapid urbanization and agricultural expansion across its native range in eastern China. The species' montane forest habitats are being systematically cleared for development projects and converted to agricultural land, fragmenting remaining populations. Climate change compounds these pressures by altering the cool, moist conditions this holly species requires, forcing populations to higher elevations where suitable habitat becomes increasingly scarce.
Habitat
This endemic Chinese holly inhabits montane forests and woodland margins at elevations between 300-1,500 meters, typically growing in cool, moist conditions with well-drained soils. The species shows preference for mixed deciduous-coniferous forests and forest edges in the subtropical mountain regions of Zhejiang, Fujian, and adjacent provinces.