CR

Psychotria franchetiana

Declining

Overview

Psychotria franchetiana is a species of plant in the family Rubiaceae. It is endemic to the island of Tahiti in the Society Islands of French Polynesia.

Psychotria franchetiana faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development in its limited range. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized threats, with remaining populations fragmented across small forest patches. Invasive plant species are increasingly competing with native understory vegetation that this coffee family member depends upon for survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits tropical montane forests and forest edges, typically found in the understory of humid evergreen forests at moderate to high elevations. It requires well-drained soils and partial shade conditions characteristic of intact forest ecosystems.

Other threatened species in RUBIACEAE

EN

Arachnothryx tacanensis

Declining
CR

Arachnothryx tenorioi

Unknown
VU

Aidia abeidii

Unknown
EN

Arachnothryx tuxtlensis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Psychotria franchetiana classified as Critically Endangered?
Psychotria franchetiana is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Psychotria franchetiana faces severe population decline primarily due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development in its limited range. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized threats, with remaining populations fragmented across small forest patches. Invasive plant species are increasingly competing with native understory vegetation that this coffee family member depends upon for survival.
Where does Psychotria franchetiana live?
Psychotria franchetiana occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Psychotria franchetiana?
The main threats to Psychotria franchetiana are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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