Lychnophora souzae
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Lychnophora souzae faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to mining activities and urban expansion in the Espinhaço Mountains of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, with quarrying operations and infrastructure development fragmenting its specialized campo rupestre habitat. Fire regimes altered by human activities further threaten the delicate balance of this high-altitude ecosystem.
Habitat
This endemic species inhabits the specialized campo rupestre vegetation of the Espinhaço Mountains in Minas Gerais, Brazil, growing in rocky outcrops and sandy soils at high elevations. The campo rupestre is characterized by quartzitic substrates, sparse vegetation adapted to nutrient-poor conditions, and a unique microclimate created by the mountainous terrain.