Lidgate's brake
CR

Lidgate's brake

Pteris lydgatei

Unknown

Photo: Photo: (c) Kenneth R. Wood (NTBG), some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Kenneth R. Wood (NTBG)

Overview

Pteris lydgatei is a rare fern species in the Pteridoideae subfamily of the Pteridaceae. It is known by the common name Lydgate's brake and is endemic to Hawaii, where it is known from the islands of Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, and Maui. It was once thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in the 1990s. There are fewer than 40 individuals in the wild. This is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.

Lidgate's brake is critically endangered due to severe habitat loss and degradation from invasive plant species, particularly in its native Hawaiian forest ecosystems. The species faces ongoing pressure from feral ungulates that damage its habitat and alter forest structure, while its extremely limited population size makes it vulnerable to stochastic events and genetic bottlenecks.

Threat summary

Other threatened species in Pteridaceae

Antrophyon de Bory, Langue de boeuf, Langue de vacheCR

Antrophyon de Bory, Langue de boeuf, Langue de vache

Antrophyopsis boryana

Unknown
CR

Adiantopsis parvisegmenta

Unknown
CR

Adiantopsis asplenioides

Unknown
VU

Adiantopsis rupicola

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Lidgate's brake classified as Critically Endangered?
Lidgate's brake 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. Lidgate's brake is critically endangered due to severe habitat loss and degradation from invasive plant species, particularly in its native Hawaiian forest ecosystems. The species faces ongoing pressure from feral ungulates that damage its habitat and alter forest structure, while its extremely limited population size makes it vulnerable to stochastic events and genetic bottlenecks.
Where does Lidgate's brake live?
Lidgate's brake 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 Lidgate's brake?
The main threats to Lidgate's brake 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.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.