Strychnos benthami
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Strychnos benthami faces significant pressure from deforestation and agricultural expansion across its limited range in the Western Ghats of India. The species' restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat fragmentation, as remaining forest patches become increasingly isolated. Collection for traditional medicinal uses adds additional pressure on wild populations, while climate change threatens to alter the specific montane forest conditions this species requires.
Habitat
Strychnos benthami is endemic to the montane evergreen forests of the Western Ghats in southern India, typically occurring at elevations between 1,000-2,000 meters. The species thrives in the humid, shaded understory of these biodiversity-rich forests, often growing along forest edges and in secondary growth areas.