Lupinus macbrideianus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Lupinus macbrideianus faces significant pressure from agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in its limited Andean range. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat conversion, while overgrazing by cattle and sheep degrades the specialized high-altitude grassland communities where it occurs. Climate change poses an additional threat as warming temperatures may force this cold-adapted species to retreat to increasingly limited suitable habitat at higher elevations.
Habitat
This species inhabits high-altitude grasslands and páramo ecosystems in the Andes, typically occurring between 3,000-4,200 meters elevation. It grows in well-drained soils of montane grasslands, often associated with other endemic Andean flora in these specialized cold-climate communities.