Piper regale
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Piper regale faces severe pressure from deforestation and agricultural expansion throughout its limited range in Central American cloud forests. The species' specialized habitat requirements make it particularly vulnerable to climate change, as rising temperatures push suitable conditions to higher elevations. Mining activities and infrastructure development have fragmented remaining populations, while the plant's slow growth rate hampers natural recovery from disturbances.
Habitat
Piper regale is endemic to montane cloud forests between 1,200-2,400 meters elevation, where it grows in the understory of humid, moss-covered slopes. The species requires consistent moisture and cool temperatures typical of these specialized high-altitude tropical ecosystems.