Racinaea tripinnata
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Racinaea tripinnata faces severe pressure from habitat destruction as cloud forests in its limited range are cleared for agriculture and urban development. The species' epiphytic lifestyle makes it particularly vulnerable to forest fragmentation, as it requires specific humidity and light conditions found only in intact cloud forest canopies. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture regimes essential for this bromeliad's survival, potentially shifting suitable habitat to higher elevations where forest area is more restricted.
Habitat
Racinaea tripinnata is an epiphytic bromeliad endemic to cloud forests of the Andes, typically growing on tree branches and trunks in the humid montane forest canopy. The species requires the specific microclimate conditions of cloud forests, including consistent moisture from fog and filtered sunlight through the forest canopy.
