Pearcea gracilis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Pearcea gracilis faces severe pressure from deforestation and agricultural expansion throughout its limited Andean range. The species' specialized epiphytic lifestyle makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, as it requires intact cloud forest canopies with specific humidity and temperature conditions. Mining activities and infrastructure development in montane regions further threaten the remaining forest patches where this delicate gesneriad persists.
Habitat
Pearcea gracilis inhabits humid montane cloud forests of the Andes, typically growing as an epiphyte on moss-covered tree trunks and branches. The species requires the consistently moist, cool conditions found in these high-elevation forests between 1,500-2,800 meters elevation.