Puerto Rico Ghostplant
Voyria tenella
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Family
Gentianaceae
Genus
Voyria
Puerto Rico Ghostplant belongs to the family Gentianaceae, order Gentianales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Puerto Rico Ghostplant faces severe threats from habitat destruction and fragmentation due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development across its limited range. As a parasitic plant dependent on specific host species and mycorrhizal relationships, it is particularly vulnerable to ecosystem disruption and the loss of its forest habitat.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Inhabits humid tropical forests and shaded woodland areas where it grows as a parasitic plant on the roots of other vascular plants. Typically found in moist, well-shaded understory environments with rich organic soil and established mycorrhizal networks.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The Puerto Rico Ghostplant faces severe threats from habitat destruction and fragmentation due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development across its limited range. As a parasitic plant dependent on specific host species and mycorrhizal relationships, it is particularly vulnerable to ecosystem disruption and the loss of its forest habitat.
Agricultural expansion
Disruption of host plant relationships
Habitat loss and deforestation
Urban development and infrastructure
Climate change impacts on forest ecosystems
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). Puerto Rico Ghostplant (Voyria tenella). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/puerto-rico-ghostplant