Magnolia guatemalensis is found in
Guatemala,
Honduras and
El Salvador. Its exact range is not well known. The
type specimen was collected in Tactic, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, where it is locally abundant in the marshes. It is also found in Guatemala's
Sierra de las Minas Biosphere Reserve. It is found in El Salvador's Cerro de
Montecristo National Park, and in the Opalaca, Montecillos, and Guajiquiro cordilleras of Honduras. Its estimated
extent of occurrence (EOO) is 45,000 km2. It is native to humid
cloud forests and moist mixed forests between 1,300 and 2,600 meters elevation. The species is threatened with habitat loss and deforestation across parts of its range, including illegal logging, human-caused fires, and clearing forests for cattle pasture and agriculture. ==Subspecies==