Platanthera likiangensis
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Platanthera likiangensis faces severe pressure from habitat destruction as alpine meadows and forest margins are converted for agriculture and grazing in the mountains of southwestern China. Collection for traditional medicine and ornamental trade has significantly reduced wild populations, while climate change threatens to shift suitable habitat zones upward beyond the species' altitudinal range. Infrastructure development including road construction and tourism facilities continues to fragment remaining populations in this biodiversity hotspot region.
Habitat
This terrestrial orchid inhabits alpine meadows, grasslands, and forest margins at elevations between 2,800-4,200 meters in the mountains of Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, China. It typically grows in moist, well-drained soils among grasses and low shrubs in areas with cool summers and cold winters.