Gasteranthus bilsaensis
Endemic to the coast of Ecuador, Gasteranthus bilsaensis is a terrestrial herb. Its usual environments are moist lowland forests and moist montane forests. The range for the herb is at an altitude of 300-700m and the best-known population grows along rivers in the Reserva Ecológica Mache-Chindul, part of the Bilsa private reserve. Gasteranthus bilsaensis is currently an endangered and the only known threat to the herb is habitat destruction. The plant is endangered because it is specifically endemic to Ecuador where deforestation is extensive and the plant does not distribute well.
Pentagonia macrophylla
Pentagonia macrophylla is a bush of the Rubiaceae family and is widely distributed through the neotropics. Pentagonia macrophylla has large fruits that contain many seeds, which are distributed by primates and birds. The bush is endemic to rainforests primarily in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The plant can reach a height of 7 meters. The species is critically endangered and the main threats are overgrazing and the introduction of exotic species.
Asplenium serratum - Wild Birdnest Fern
Asplenium serratum is a fern that grows on tree trunks and limestone. The plant is native to many South American countries including Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador as well as Mexico, and is rare in Florida. The roots are proliferous while the stems are erect and unbranched. The large simple-leaved spleen worth is known as “American bird’s nest fern” because of its resemblance to the Old World Asplenium nidus. Asplenium serratium is unique because its roots hairs are tangled into a thick mass unlike other species in which the hairs are scattered.
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