CR

Viguiera media

Unknown

Overview

Aldama media is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is found only in Ecuador. Its natural habitat is near saline lakes, growing in dry forests, scrublands and grasslands. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Viguiera media faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban expansion and agricultural conversion in its limited range. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while invasive plant species compete for resources in its native habitat. Climate change poses additional pressure through altered precipitation patterns affecting this drought-adapted species.

Threat summary

Habitat

Viguiera media inhabits dry scrublands and rocky slopes in semi-arid regions, typically growing in well-drained soils with sparse vegetation cover. The species is adapted to areas with low annual rainfall and high temperature variation between seasons.

Other threatened species in ASTERACEAE

EN

Bidens cosmoides

Declining
VU

Piptolepis monticola

Unknown
Libanothamnus parvulusCR

Libanothamnus parvulus

Declining
EN

Gynoxys neovelutina

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Viguiera media classified as Critically Endangered?
Viguiera media is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Viguiera media faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urban expansion and agricultural conversion in its limited range. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while invasive plant species compete for resources in its native habitat. Climate change poses additional pressure through altered precipitation patterns affecting this drought-adapted species.
Where does Viguiera media live?
Viguiera media occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Viguiera media?
The main threats to Viguiera media are 5.3, ai-1, ai-2, and ai-3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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