Tropaeolum carchense
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Tropaeolum carchense faces severe pressure from agricultural expansion and livestock grazing in its restricted Andean range. The species' limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat conversion, while overgrazing by cattle and sheep degrades the specialized high-altitude environments it requires. Climate change poses an additional threat as warming temperatures push suitable habitat to higher elevations with limited available space.
Habitat
This endemic nasturtium inhabits high-altitude Andean slopes and rocky outcrops between 3,000-4,200 meters elevation. It grows in specialized montane grasslands and páramo ecosystems with well-drained soils and cool, humid conditions typical of cloud forest margins.