Pentacalia viridialba
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Pentacalia viridialba faces significant pressure from agricultural expansion and cattle grazing in Colombia's high-altitude ecosystems. The species' restricted range in the Cordillera Oriental makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation from small-scale farming activities. Climate change poses an additional threat as warming temperatures may force this high-elevation specialist into increasingly limited suitable habitat at higher altitudes.
Habitat
This endemic Colombian species inhabits high-altitude páramo and subpáramo ecosystems in the Cordillera Oriental, typically occurring between 3,000-4,000 meters elevation. It grows in open grasslands and shrublands characteristic of these Andean alpine environments, often associated with other specialized high-elevation flora.