Koanophyllon galeottii is distributed in Belize, Guatemala (Alta Verapaz, Izabal, and Petén), Mexico, where it is recorded in Chiapas, Oaxaca, Tabasco and Veracruz, and Nicaragua. The extent of occurrence is measured as 422,650 km² based on current reports from herbaria. The main threat to the taxon has been deforestation due to land use change for human activities. Despite the change in land use occurring across its range, it is not considered to currently be significantly impacted by habitat loss. Therefore, this species is assessed as Least Concern.

The taxon is distributed in Belize, Guatemala (Alta Verapaz, Izabal, and Petén), Mexico, where it is recorded in Chiapas, Oaxaca, Tabasco and Veracruz, and Nicaragua. The extent of occurrence is measured as 422,650 km² based on current reports from herbaria.

It is a common species. The many fertile collections suggest that there are still a reasonable number of healthy subpopulations.

Koanophyllon galeottii is a shrub to small tree of 1 to 7.6 m height. It is located at 25–1,700 m elevation, within high evergreen forests, acahual (secondary vegetation), cloud forests, Pinus forests and Quercus forests (DGRU 2023, Tropicos 2023, NMNH 2023).

The decrease in the habitat quality of this species is a major threat and is caused by human pressures on the land. The Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve houses the last remnants of high evergreen forest and cloud forest in Veracruz, but its vegetation cover has been decreasing considerably at a rate of 0.8% per year (Von Thaden et al. 2020, SIMEC-CONANP 2023). This despite the fact that it is considered a priority area for conservation (CONABIO 2013).

There is no specific information about the taxon.

The species is not known from any ex situ collections (BGCI 2023). In Mexico, this species occurs in the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve (Veracruz), Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve (Chiapas), and Cañón del Usumacinta Flora and Fauna Protection Area (Tabasco). In Belize the species occurs in several protected areas.