News

One in five plant species under threat

Thursday 30th September 2010

At least one in five of the world’s plant species are at risk of extinction and a further ten percent will soon become threatened unless action is taken. A report released by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, together with the Natural History Museum, London, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has shown that even plants that are locally considered common, such as the snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis, are at risk.

Seven thousand plant species were included in the study, drawn from the five major groups of plants, to try and give a fair sample of the world’s estimated 380,000 plant species.

Wollemi pine leaves
The Critically Endangered Wollemi pine. Fewer than 50 mature individuals may remain.

The most significant threat was identified as habitat loss, due to agriculture, livestock grazing, logging and development, and the world’s tropical rainforests were found to be at greatest risk. The most threatened group of plants was found to be the gymnosperms, a group including conifers and cycads.

Eastern Cape giant cycad crown with cones
The Eastern Cape giant cycad, Vulnerable due to land clearance and collection from the wild.

Launching the findings of the study, Kew’s director, Professor Stephen Hopper, said, “We cannot sit back and watch plant species disappear - plants are the basis of all life on Earth, providing clean air, water, food and fuel.” Plants are also vital in combating global climate change, and many provide important medicinal compounds. However, without action many plant species may be lost before they are even discovered.

Maidenhair tree canopy
Ginkgo biloba (maidenhair tree), an Endangered tree known for its medicinal properties.

It is hoped that this report will provide a vital baseline from which to monitor the changing fortunes of the world’s plants, as well as highlighting the conservation action needed to protect them. A range of conservation efforts are already underway to try and preserve the world’s plant diversity. These include Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank Partnership, which is storing seeds as an ‘insurance policy’ against the extinction of species in the wild, and which also has a key role in educating the public about the importance of plant conservation.

Bentgrass in natural habitat
Agrostis trachychlaena, an Endangered grass restricted to just two small islands.


To find out more about the world’s threatened plant species, see:

For more information on plant conservation, see:

Explore threatened plant species on ARKive.



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