Aeranthes parkesii

No threats are recorded and its riverine forest habitat is now given some level of protection by the tea estate managers, but a large extent of medium altitude rainforest (Type 11, Muller 2006) was cleared for tea plantations in the 1950-60s (Muller 2006). Given the species rarity, it is possible that it could be targeted by orchid collectors, although there has been no evidence or reports on this, even almost 30 years after its first description. Mapuara and Timberlake (2002) suggested that there was a threat from agricultural expansion (presumably referring to expansion of the commercial tea plantations), especially that related to land invasions in the early 2000s. But from Google Earth imagery (2006) this does not appear to have materialised in recent years. This orchid's presumably very small population, however, would make it very susceptible to extinction if even relatively small areas of riverine forest were cleared or damaged.

The species is not present in any formal conservation area, although it lies adjacent to the well-protected Nyanga National Park on the slopes above. However, the riverine forest habitat is given protection by the tea estate managers. It was considered to be Critically Endangered under the B1+B2c and C1 criteria (IUCN 1994 Red List Criteria) by Mapaura and Timberlake (2002) on the basis that agricultural expansion was a threat. This has proved not to be the case so far. Part of this assessment also assumed a fluctuation in number of mature individuals, which there is as yet no evidence for.