Echium pininana
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echium_pininana
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Echium pininana faces severe threats from its extremely restricted range on La Palma in the Canary Islands, where the entire population is confined to steep volcanic slopes and ravines. Habitat degradation from goat grazing, invasive plant species, and human disturbance poses ongoing risks to the remaining wild populations. Climate change threatens to alter the specific microclimatic conditions this endemic species requires, while its naturally small population size makes it vulnerable to stochastic events and genetic bottlenecks.
Habitat
This endemic species inhabits steep volcanic slopes, rocky ravines, and cliff faces in the laurel forest zone of La Palma, typically at elevations between 400-800 meters. It grows in well-drained volcanic soils with high humidity and requires the specific microclimatic conditions found in these protected ravines and north-facing slopes.
