CR

Machaerium orthocarpum

Declining

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Machaerium orthocarpum faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive deforestation and habitat fragmentation across its native range in Brazil's Atlantic Forest. Agricultural expansion, particularly cattle ranching and soybean cultivation, has eliminated vast areas of the species' preferred forest habitat. Urban development and infrastructure projects continue to fragment remaining populations, while selective logging targets this valuable timber species for its high-quality wood used in furniture and construction.

Threat summary

Habitat

This leguminous tree species inhabits lowland and montane Atlantic Forest ecosystems in southeastern Brazil, typically growing in well-drained soils of primary and secondary forest formations. It occurs in both dense forest interiors and forest edges, showing preference for areas with consistent moisture and partial canopy cover.

Other threatened species in FABACEAE

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Lonchocarpus crassispermus

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Senna saeri

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Senna viciifolia

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EN

Erythrina cobanensis

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Threatened in Venezuela

EN

Helena's Marsupial Frog

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VU

Ternstroemia steyermarkii

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Machaerium orthocarpum classified as Critically Endangered?
Machaerium orthocarpum 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. Machaerium orthocarpum faces severe population decline primarily due to extensive deforestation and habitat fragmentation across its native range in Brazil's Atlantic Forest. Agricultural expansion, particularly cattle ranching and soybean cultivation, has eliminated vast areas of the species' preferred forest habitat. Urban development and infrastructure projects continue to fragment remaining populations, while selective logging targets this valuable timber species for its high-quality wood used in furniture and construction.
Where does Machaerium orthocarpum live?
Machaerium orthocarpum occurs in Venezuela. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Machaerium orthocarpum?
The main threats to Machaerium orthocarpum 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.

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