Nicotiana fatuhivensis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Nicotiana fatuhivensis faces severe pressure from invasive plant species that outcompete native vegetation and alter ecosystem dynamics on Fatu Hiva. Habitat degradation from introduced grazing animals, particularly goats and cattle, has reduced suitable growing areas through trampling and overgrazing. The species' extremely limited range on a single Marquesas island makes it highly vulnerable to stochastic events such as cyclones, droughts, or disease outbreaks that could eliminate entire subpopulations.
Habitat
This endemic tobacco species inhabits montane forests and forest edges on the volcanic slopes of Fatu Hiva in the Marquesas Islands. It typically grows in partially shaded areas with well-drained soils at elevations between 400-800 meters above sea level.