Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Clade: Angiosperms → Eudicots → Asterids
- Order: Ericales
- Family: Pentaphylacaceae (formerly placed in Theaceae)
- Genus: Freziera
- Species: Freziera alata
Description
Freziera alata is a species of evergreen tree or shrub in the genus Freziera. Members of the genus are typically characterized by simple, alternate leaves and small, white to cream flowers arranged in axillary or terminal inflorescences. The specific epithet “alata” (Latin for “wing‑ed”) suggests the presence of a winged morphological feature, such as winged stems, petioles, or fruit, but detailed morphological descriptions for this species are limited in the publicly accessible literature.
Distribution and Habitat
The species is reported from the north‑western Andes of South America, with documented occurrences in Colombia and Ecuador. It inhabits montane cloud forests, generally at elevations ranging from about 1,500 to 2,500 m above sea level, where it contributes to the mid‑canopy layer of these moist, high‑humidity ecosystems.
Conservation Status
As of the latest available assessments, Freziera alata has not been evaluated for the IUCN Red List, and its precise conservation status remains unconfirmed. Habitat loss due to deforestation and land‑use change in Andean cloud forests may pose potential threats, but specific population trends are not documented in the current literature.
References and Sources
- “Plants of the World Online” (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) – taxonomic entry for Freziera alata.
- Regional floras of the Andean cloud forests (Colombia, Ecuador) that list Freziera species.
Note: Detailed morphological, ecological, and conservation information for Freziera alata is limited in widely available encyclopedic sources. The above entry summarizes the verifiable data that can be confidently presented.
