Struthanthus lojae
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Struthanthus lojae faces severe pressure from ongoing deforestation and habitat fragmentation within Ecuador's montane cloud forests. Agricultural expansion and cattle ranching have eliminated significant portions of its native range, while the species' parasitic lifestyle makes it particularly vulnerable to host tree removal. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the moisture-dependent cloud forest conditions essential for both the mistletoe and its host species.
Habitat
This parasitic mistletoe is endemic to the montane cloud forests of southern Ecuador, typically occurring at elevations between 2,000-3,000 meters. It grows as an epiphytic parasite on various native tree species within these moisture-rich, fog-shrouded forest ecosystems.