Saintpaulia watkinsii
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Saintpaulia watkinsii faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to agricultural expansion and human settlement in its restricted range within the Eastern Arc Mountains of Tanzania. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while collection pressure for the horticultural trade has further reduced wild populations. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the specific microhabitat conditions this endemic violet requires.
Habitat
This endemic African violet inhabits moist, shaded rock crevices and cliff faces in montane forests of the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania. It requires specific microhabitat conditions with consistent moisture and filtered light, typically growing on moss-covered rocks at elevations between 1,200-2,000 meters.
