CR

Mikania jamesonii

Unknown

Overview

Mikania jamesonii is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is found only in Ecuador. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Mikania jamesonii faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development in its restricted Andean range. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized threats, with deforestation for cattle ranching and crop cultivation fragmenting its remaining cloud forest habitat. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the specific temperature and moisture conditions this high-altitude species requires.

Threat summary

Habitat

Mikania jamesonii inhabits cloud forests and montane scrublands in the Andes, typically occurring at elevations between 2,000-3,500 meters. The species requires the specific humid, cool conditions found in these high-altitude ecosystems, often growing along forest edges and in disturbed areas within its native range.

Forest· major

Other threatened species in ASTERACEAE

EN

Bidens cosmoides

Declining
VU

Piptolepis monticola

Unknown
Libanothamnus parvulusCR

Libanothamnus parvulus

Declining
EN

Gynoxys neovelutina

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Mikania jamesonii classified as Critically Endangered?
Mikania jamesonii 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. Mikania jamesonii faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development in its restricted Andean range. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized threats, with deforestation for cattle ranching and crop cultivation fragmenting its remaining cloud forest habitat. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the specific temperature and moisture conditions this high-altitude species requires.
Where does Mikania jamesonii live?
Mikania jamesonii 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 Mikania jamesonii?
The main threats to Mikania jamesonii are 10.1, 2.1, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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