Trigonobalanus excelsa, commonly called the Colombian black oak,[1] is a species of plant in the family Fagaceae. It is a tree endemic to Colombia.
The genus Trigonobalanus is related to the true oaks (Quercus) and includes three known species, T. excelsa and two species native to Southeast Asia.
Trigonobalanus excelsa is a tree which can grow to tall.
Trigonobalanus excelsa is known from five locations in the Colombian Andes. These locations are on different mountain ranges and distant from one another. The species' estimated area of occupancy (AOO) is less than 500 km2.
It grows in humid Andean montane forests between 1,400- and 2,200-meters elevation. It is found in mixed forests and in monospecific stands, typically in areas with steep slopes and poor soils. Some populations grow near forests of white oak (Quercus humboldtii).
The species' conservation status is assessed as endangered. It is known from relatively small and isolated populations. Some populations are in protected areas. The main population in Huila is not protected and is threatened with habitat loss from ongoing deforestation. Other populations, like those in Antioquia and Bolivar departments, have been greatly reduced by deforestation, and survive only in remnant forest patches.