Tillandsia cucullata
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Tillandsia cucullata faces severe pressure from habitat destruction as cloud forests across its Central American range are cleared for agriculture and urban development. The species' specialized 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 and cloud formation patterns essential for this bromeliad's survival.
Habitat
This epiphytic bromeliad inhabits cloud forests and montane rainforests at elevations between 1,200-2,500 meters, growing on tree branches and trunks where it captures moisture from fog and rainfall. It requires the high humidity and filtered light conditions characteristic of intact cloud forest ecosystems.
