Pteralyxia macrocarpa
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Pteralyxia macrocarpa faces severe pressure from habitat destruction as native Hawaiian forests are cleared for agriculture and urban development. The species is particularly vulnerable to invasive plant species that alter forest composition and compete for resources. Climate change poses an additional threat through shifting precipitation patterns that affect the moist forest conditions this endemic Hawaiian shrub requires.
Habitat
This endemic Hawaiian shrub inhabits moist to wet forests on volcanic slopes, typically found in native ohia-lehua forest communities at elevations between 300-1,200 meters. It requires well-drained volcanic soils and consistent moisture from trade wind precipitation.