Gorgonidium intermedium

The Peruvian Yungas ecoregion, where this species grows, is in an almost critically endangered state due to migratory agriculture, coca farming, deforestation, selective cutting and gradual urban development. Although part of the species' distribution is within the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, this area is also under severe threat from tourists, with trampling, littering, erosion and landslides being major problems. Aguas Calientes, where visitors to Machu Picchu leave the train, has more than doubled in size in the past ten years, but human waste is still pumped directly into the Urubamba River, causing significant water pollution issues.

This species is found in two protected areas: Manu National Park (and Biosphere Reserve) and the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu. This species has been cultivated in the Munich Botanical Garden (derived from specimen collected by Bognor, no. 1870). No seed is currently stored in the Millennium Seed Bank, UK.