Themistoclesia mucronata
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Themistoclesia mucronata faces significant pressure from habitat conversion as Andean cloud forests are cleared for agriculture and cattle ranching. The species' restricted range in high-altitude ecosystems makes it particularly vulnerable to climate change, as warming temperatures force suitable habitat upslope with limited available area. Mining activities and infrastructure development in the Colombian Andes further fragment the remaining cloud forest patches where this endemic shrub persists.
Habitat
This endemic Colombian shrub inhabits cloud forests and páramo ecosystems in the Cordillera Oriental of the Andes, typically occurring at elevations between 2,800-3,500 meters. It grows in the understory and edges of montane forests where persistent cloud cover creates the humid, cool conditions essential for its survival.