List of critically endangered plants

Plant species (IUCN, 2023-1)
  • 66,406 extant species have been evaluated
  • 61,035 of those are fully assessed[a]
  • 34,588 are not threatened at present[b]
  • 26,276 are threatened[c]
  • 174 are extinct or extinct in the wild:
    • 129 extinct (EX) species[d]
    • 45 extinct in the wild (EW)
    • 569 possibly extinct [CR(PE)]
    • 48 possibly extinct in the wild [CR(PEW)]

  1. ^ excludes data deficient evaluations.
  2. ^ NT, LR/cd, LC.
  3. ^ Threatened comprises CR, EN and VU.
  4. ^ Chart omits extinct (EX) species

As of December 2023, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists 5702 plant species categorized as Critically Endangered, including 569 which are tagged as possibly extinct and 48 possibly extinct in the wild.[1][2] 8.6% of all evaluated plant species are listed as critically endangered. The IUCN also lists 284 subspecies and varieties as critically endangered.

Additionally 5371 plant species (8.1% of those evaluated) are listed as data deficient, meaning there is insufficient information for a full assessment of conservation status. As these species typically have small distributions and/or populations, they are intrinsically likely to be threatened, according to the IUCN.[3] While the category of data deficient indicates that no assessment of extinction risk has been made for the taxa, the IUCN notes that it may be appropriate to give them "the same degree of attention as threatened taxa, at least until their status can be assessed."[4]

This is a complete list of critically endangered plant species, subspecies and varieties evaluated by the IUCN. Species considered possibly extinct by the IUCN are marked as such.

  • Galaxaura barbata (possibly extinct)
  • Gracilaria skottsbergii
  • Laurencia oppositocladia
  • Myriogramme kylinii
  • Phycodrina elegans (possibly extinct)
  • Schizymenia ecuadoreana

There are 24 bryophyte species assessed as critically endangered.

There are 67 species and three varieties of pteridophyte assessed as critically endangered.

There are 54 species and three varieties in the class Polypodiopsida assessed as critically endangered.

There are 49 species and three varieties in the order Polypodiales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

  • Ctenitis pallatangana (possibly extinct)
  • Ctenitis squamigera, Pacific lacefern
  • Dryopteris cognata, Large kidney fern
  • Elaphoglossum actinolepis
  • Elaphoglossum angamarcanum
  • Elaphoglossum bonapartii
  • Elaphoglossum chodatii
  • Elaphoglossum christii
  • Elaphoglossum cladotrichium
  • Elaphoglossum corazonense
  • Elaphoglossum dimorphum, Toothed tongue-fern
  • Elaphoglossum gossypinum
  • Elaphoglossum gracilipes (possibly extinct)
  • Elaphoglossum jamesonii
  • Elaphoglossum longissimum
  • Elaphoglossum nervosum, Veined tongue-fern
  • Elaphoglossum pellucidum
  • Elaphoglossum polytrichum (possibly extinct)
  • Elaphoglossum pteropodum
  • Elaphoglossum sodiroi
  • Elaphoglossum sprucei
  • Elaphoglossum trichophorum
  • Lastreopsis subrecedens
  • Polystichum drepanum, Madeira shield-fern

Varieties

  • Dryopteris crinalis var. podosorus
  • Dryopteris glabra var. flynnii
  • Dryopteris glabra var. pusilla
Other Polypodiales species
  • Marsilea fadeniana

Other pteridophyte species

There are 81 species, five subspecies, and 13 varieties of gymnosperm assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Subspecies

  • Cycas szechuanensis subsp. fairylakea
  • Cycas szechuanensis subsp. szechuanensis
  • Encephalartos tegulaneus subsp. powysii

Species

Subspecies

Varieties

  • Amentotaxus argotaenia var. brevifolia
  • Cupressus arizonica var. montana, San Pedro cypress
  • Cupressus arizonica var. stephensonii, Cuyamaca cypress
  • Cupressus chengiana var. jiangeensis
  • Cupressus dupreziana var. atlantica, Atlas cypress
  • Cupressus dupreziana var. dupreziana
  • Cupressus goveniana var. abramsiana
  • Juniperus barbadensis var. barbadensis, Barbados cedar
  • Juniperus deppeana var. sperryi
  • Juniperus gracilior var. ekmanii
  • Picea asperata var. ponderosa
  • Pinus massoniana var. hainanensis
  • Podocarpus sellowii var. angustifolius

There are 1895 species, 78 subspecies, and 49 varieties of dicotyledon assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Varieties

  • Piper amalago var. variifolium

There are 62 species and 12 subspecies in Campanulales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Subspecies

  • Clermontia oblongifolia subsp. brevipes, Oahu clermontia
  • Clermontia oblongifolia subsp. mauiensis
  • Clermontia peleana subsp. peleana
  • Clermontia peleana subsp. singuliflora
  • Clermontia samuelii subsp. hanaensis
  • Clermontia samuelii subsp. samuelii
  • Cyanea grimesiana subsp. grimesiana
  • Cyanea grimesiana subsp. obatae
  • Cyanea hamatiflora subsp. carlsonii
  • Cyanea hamatiflora subsp. hamatiflora
  • Cyanea lobata subsp. baldwinii
  • Cyanea lobata subsp. lobata

There are 295 species and 23 subspecies in Theales assessed as critically endangered.

Other Theales species

Species

Subspecies

  • Anisoptera thurifera subsp. thurifera
  • Dipterocarpus caudatus subsp. caudatus
  • Dipterocarpus conformis subsp. conformis
  • Hopea andersonii subsp. basalticola
  • Hopea jucunda subsp. jucunda
  • Hopea jucunda subsp. modesta
  • Shorea assamica subsp. assamica
  • Shorea assamica subsp. globifera
  • Shorea assamica subsp. koordersii
  • Shorea assamica subsp. philippinensis
  • Shorea falciferoides subsp. falciferoides
  • Shorea falciferoides subsp. glaucescens
  • Shorea hemsleyana subsp. grandiflora
  • Shorea hemsleyana subsp. hemsleyana
  • Shorea macroptera subsp. macroptera
  • Shorea macroptera subsp. sandakanensis
  • Shorea ovalis subsp. sarawakensis
  • Shorea ovalis subsp. sericea
  • Shorea singkawang subsp. scabrosa
  • Vatica javanica subsp. javanica
  • Vatica javanica subsp. scaphifolia
  • Vatica oblongifolia subsp. crassilobata
  • Vatica oblongifolia subsp. elliptifolia

Other Malvales species

Species

Subspecies

  • Elaeocarpus submonoceras subsp. oliganthus
  • Hibiscus waimeae subsp. hannerae

Varieties

  • Bombax insigne var. polystemon

Species

Subspecies

  • Eschweilera piresii subsp. viridipetala

Species

Subspecies

  • Byrsonima nemoralis subsp. dressleri

Species

Varieties

Family Proteaceae - 103 species

Family Sabiaceae - 5 species

  • Meliosma caucana
  • Meliosma lindae
  • Meliosma nanarum
  • Meliosma nesites
  • Meliosma seleriana

Species

Subspecies

  • Ixora scheffleri subsp. keniensis
  • Kadua cordata subsp. remyi
  • Kadua degeneri subsp. coprosmifolia
  • Kadua degeneri subsp. degeneri

Varieties

  • Chassalia coriacea var. johnstonii
  • Coprosma rapensis var. benefica, Red berry

Species

Subspecies

  • Cistus heterophyllus subsp. carthaginensis
  • Viola chamissoniana subsp. chamissoniana

Species

Subspecies

  • Euphorbia cylindrifolia subsp. tuberifera
  • Euphorbia stenoclada subsp. ambatofinandranae

Varieties

  • Drypetes usambarica var. rugulosa
  • Euphorbia decaryi var. robinsonii
  • Euphorbia francoisii var. francoisii
  • Euphorbia greenwayi var. greenwayi
  • Euphorbia lophogona var. tenuicaulis
  • Euphorbia remyi var. kauaiensis
  • Euphorbia remyi var. remyi
  • Sebastiania lesteri var. glabrata
  • Sebastiania lesteri var. lesteri
  • Chaetocarpus pubescens

Species

Varieties

  • Phyllanthus aeneus var. papillosus

There are 40 species in the order Laurales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Subspecies

  • Begonia quadrialata subsp. dusenii
  • Diospyros angulata
  • Diospyros benstonei
  • Diospyros chrysophyllos
  • Diospyros crumenata
  • Diospyros egrettarum
  • Diospyros hemiteles
  • Diospyros katendei (possibly extinct)
  • Diospyros lolinopsis
  • Diospyros molissima
  • Diospyros moonii
  • Diospyros mun
  • Diospyros nodosa
  • Diospyros rheophytica
  • Diospyros vaccinioides, Small persimmon
  • Diospyros veillonii

There are 29 species and two subspecies in the order Celastrales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Subspecies

  • Ilex perado subsp. iberica
  • Ilex perado subsp. lopezlilloi
  • Dichapetalum korupinum
  • Dichapetalum letouzeyi

There are 97 species and five varieties in the order Myrtales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Varieties

  • Eugenia harrisii var. grandifolia
  • Myrrhinium atropurpureum var. atropurpureum

Species

  • Combretum tenuipetiolatum

Varieties

  • Terminalia eriostachya var. margaretiae, Black mastic
  • Terminalia glabrata var. glabrata
  • Terminalia glabrata var. koariki
  • Trapa colchica, Colchis water-chestnut
  • Epilobium numidicum

There are 70 species, three subspecies, and five varieties in the order Sapindales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Subspecies

  • Pilocarpus goudotianus subsp. heterochromus

Varieties

  • Zanthoxylum dipetalum var. tomentosum

Species

Varieties

  • Acer buergerianum var. formosanum, Taiwan trident maple
  • Acer oblongum var. membranaceum

Species

Varieties

  • Alectryon macrococcus var. auwahiensis
  • Alectryon macrococcus var. macrococcus
  • Tribulus rajasthanensis
  • Zygophyllum bucharicum
  • Zygophyllum darvasicum

Species

Subspecies

  • Trichilia trifolia subsp. pteleaefolia
  • Turraea mombassana subsp. schliebenii

Species

Subspecies

  • Argyroxiphium sandwicense subsp. sandwicense, Mauna Kea silversword
  • Bidens campylotheca subsp. pentamera
  • Bidens campylotheca subsp. waihoiensis
  • Bidens micrantha subsp. ctenophylla
  • Dubautia plantaginea subsp. humilis
  • Dubautia plantaginea subsp. magnifolia
  • Fitchia cuneata subsp. cuneata
  • Melanthera micrantha subsp. exigua
  • Melanthera micrantha subsp. micrantha

Varieties

  • Bidens hendersonensis var. oenoensis
  • Pectis caymanensis var. robusta
  • Scalesia atractyloides var. atractyloides
  • Scalesia atractyloides var. darwinii
  • Tetramolopium rockii var. calcisabulorum

There are 63 species and three subspecies in the order Magnoliales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Subspecies

  • Magnolia cubensis subsp. acunae
  • Magnolia virginiana subsp. oviedoae

Species

Subspecies

  • Artabotrys modestus subsp. modestus

There are 30 species and one variety in Capparales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Varieties

There are 51 species and two varieties in the order Apiales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Varieties

  • Polyscias sechellarum var. contracta
  • Polyscias sechellarum var. curiosae

There are 41 species, two subspecies, and one variety in the order Gentianales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Varieties

  • Labordia tinifolia var. wahiawaensis

Species

Subspecies

  • Ceropegia decidua subsp. pretoriensis
  • Pentarrhinum abyssinicum subsp. ijimense

There are 48 species, two subspecies, and one variety in the order Rosales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Subspecies

  • Alchemilla fischeri subsp. camerunensis
  • Polylepis tomentella subsp. nana

Other Rosales

Species

Varieties

  • Geissois ternata var. serrata
  • Neraudia angulata var. angulata
  • Neraudia angulata var. dentata

There are 28 species and one variety in Primulales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

  • Clavija parvula

Varieties

  • Jacquinia macrantha var. clarendonensis

Species

Varieties

  • Cayratia pedata var. glabra

Species

Varieties

  • Ipomoea prismatosyphon var. trifida

Species

Varieties

  • Phyllostegia parviflora var. glabriuscula
  • Phyllostegia parviflora var. lydgatei
  • Phyllostegia parviflora var. parviflora

Species

Subspecies

  • Saintpaulia ionantha subsp. grandifolia
  • Saintpaulia ionantha subsp. rupicola

Varieties

  • Gesneria scabra var. fawcettii
  • Agalinis kingsii
  • Antirrhinum charidemi
  • Isoplexis chalcantha
  • Odontites granatensis
  • Paulownia kawakamii
  • Scrophularia capillaris, Capillary figwort
  • Verbascum decursivum, Decurrent mullein
  • Verbascum transcaucasicum, Transcaucasian speedwell
  • Veronica allahuekberensis, Allahuekberian speedwell
  • Veronica oetaea

Other Lamiales species

Species

Subspecies

  • Sarracenia rubra subsp. alabamensis

Species

Varieties

  • Cissampelos nigrescens var. cardiophylla
  • Calligonum calcareum
  • Calligonum triste
  • Coccoloba cholutecensis
  • Coccoloba lindaviana
  • Coccoloba retirensis
  • Polygonum caspicum, Caspian knotweed
  • Polygonum toktogulicum
  • Rumex tunetanus

Species

Subspecies

  • Astragalus macrocarpus subsp. lefkarensis, Lefkara milk-vetch

Varieties

  • Humboldtia unijuga var. trijuga

There are 145 species, two subspecies, and one variety in the order Caryophyllales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Subspecies

  • Moehringia intricata subsp. tejedensis

Species

Subspecies

  • Ariocarpus bravoanus subsp. bravoanus

Other Caryophyllales

Species

Varieties

  • Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata

Species

Subspecies

  • Betula lenta subsp. uber, Virginia round-leaf birch
  • Betula procurva subsp. schugnanica

Other dicotyledons

Species

Varieties

  • Rhododendron protistum var. giganteum

There are 421 species, six subspecies, and five varieties of monocotyledon assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Varieties

  • Dictyosperma album var. album
  • Dictyosperma album var. conjugatum, Hurricane palm
  • Roystonea regia var. hondurensis

There are 167 species and one subspecies in Orchidales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Subspecies

  • Cynorkis buchwaldiana subsp. buchwaldiana

Species

Subspecies

  • Narcissus nevadensis subsp. enemeritoi

Species

Subspecies

  • Arisaema heterocephalum subsp. okinawaense
  • Commelina mwatayamvoana
  • Xyris andina
  • Xyris diaphanobracteata
  • Xyris exigua
  • Xyris ramboi

There are 37 species, two subspecies, and two varieties in Cyperales assessed as critically endangered.

Species

Subspecies

  • Puccinellia distans subsp. embergeri
  • Puccinellia distans subsp. font-queri

Varieties

  • Cenchrus agrimonioides var. agrimonioides

Species

Varieties

  • Cyperus pennatiformis var. bryanii

Other monocotyledons

Species

Subspecies

  • Najas marina subsp. arsenariensis

See also

References

  1. ^ "IUCN Red List version 2023-1". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Table 9: Possibly Extinct and Possibly Extinct in the Wild Species (IUCN Red List version 2023-1)". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Limitations of the Data". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  4. ^ "2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1)". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  5. ^ Farjon, A. (2013). "Pinus torreyana subsp. torreyana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T34015A2840365. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T34015A2840365.en. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Allophylus zeylanicus L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Populus alba". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 6 December 2024.