Pitahaya
Leptocereus assurgens
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
3
Countries
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Family
Cactaceae
Genus
Leptocereus
Pitahaya belongs to the family Cactaceae, order Caryophyllales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Leptocereus assurgens faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and agricultural expansion across its limited range in the Caribbean. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized threats, while climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns and increased storm intensity affecting its specialized dry forest habitat.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
This columnar cactus species inhabits dry coastal forests, limestone hills, and rocky outcrops in arid and semi-arid regions of the Caribbean. It typically occurs in areas with well-drained soils and is adapted to drought conditions and salt spray exposure.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Leptocereus assurgens faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban development and agricultural expansion across its limited range in the Caribbean. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized threats, while climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns and increased storm intensity affecting its specialized dry forest habitat.
Agricultural land conversion
Habitat loss from urban development
Limited geographic range
Climate change impacts
Hurricane and storm damage
Found in 3 Countries
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Pitahaya (Leptocereus assurgens). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/pitahaya