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. 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. 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."
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.
Algae
Bryophytes There are 24 bryophyte species assessed as critically endangered. Mosses
Liverworts
Pteridophytes There are 67 species and three varieties of pteridophyte assessed as critically endangered. Leptosporangiate ferns There are 54 species and three varieties in the class Polypodiopsida assessed as critically endangered. Polypodiales There are 49 species and three varieties in the order Polypodiales assessed as critically endangered. Aspleniaceae
Dryopteridaceae
Species
Varieties
Polypodiaceae
Other Polypodiales species
Hymenophyllales
Salviniales Marsilea fadeniana
Isoetopsida
Other pteridophyte species
Gymnosperms There are 81 species, five subspecies, and 13 varieties of gymnosperm assessed as critically endangered. Cycads
Species
Subspecies
Conifers Species
Subspecies Abies delavayi subsp. fansipanensis, Fansipan fir Pinus torreyana subsp. torreyana
Varieties
Podocarpaceae
Dicotyledons There are 1895 species, 78 subspecies, and 49 varieties of dicotyledon assessed as critically endangered.
Apiales There are 51 species and two varieties in the order Apiales assessed as critically endangered.
Apiaceae
Araliaceae Species
Varieties Polyscias sechellarum var. contracta Polyscias sechellarum var. curiosae
Pittosporaceae
Torricelliaceae Melanophylla angustior Melanophylla perrieri
Aquifoliales Aquifoliaceae Species
Subspecies Ilex perado subsp. iberica Ilex perado subsp. lopezlilloi
Stemonuraceae
Asterales Species
Subspecies
Varieties
Aristolochiales
Boraginales
Boraginaceae
Cordiaceae Cordia leslieae
Brassicales There are 30 species and one variety in Capparales assessed as critically endangered.
Brassicaceae Species
Varieties Aethionema grandiflorum var. sintenisii, Persian stonecress
Capparaceae
Buxales Buxaceae Buxus vahlii, Vahl's boxwood
Campanulales There are 62 species and 12 subspecies in Campanulales assessed as critically endangered.
Campanulaceae Species
Subspecies
Goodeniaceae Scaevola socotraensis
Canellales
Canellaceae
Cinnamodendron angustifolium Cinnamodendron cubense Cinnamodendron occhionianum Pleodendron costaricense Pleodendron ekmanii Pleodendron macranthum Warburgia elongata Warburgia ugandensis subsp. longifolia
Winteraceae Pseudowintera insperata
Caryophyllales There are 145 species, two subspecies, and one variety in the order Caryophyllales assessed as critically endangered.
Amaranthaceae Species
Varieties Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata
Caryophyllaceae Species
Subspecies Moehringia intricata subsp. tejedensis
Cactus Species
Subspecies Ariocarpus bravoanus subsp. bravoanus
Droseraceae
Nepenthaceae
Nyctaginaceae
Polygonaceae
Other Caryophyllales Species
Celastrales There are 29 species and two subspecies in the order Celastrales assessed as critically endangered.
Celastraceae
Dichapetalaceae Dichapetalum korupinum Dichapetalum letouzeyi
Cornales Nyssa yunnanensis Swida darvasica
Cucurbitales Species
Subspecies Begonia quadrialata subsp. dusenii
Dipsacales
Dilleniales Dillenia triquetra Hibbertia bouletii Hibbertia favieri Schumacheria alnifolia
Ericales
Actinidiaceae
Balsaminaceae Impatiens adenioides Impatiens angustisepala Impatiens bururiensis Impatiens gordonii, Seychelles bizzie lizzie Impatiens grandisepala
Clethraceae Clethra coloradensis
Ebenaceae
Ericaceae Species Rhododendron wilhelminae Rhodothamnus sessilifolius, Sessile-leaved rhodothamnus
Varieties Rhododendron protistum var. giganteum
Lecythidaceae Species
Subspecies Eschweilera piresii subsp. viridipetala
Myrsinaceae
Primulaceae
Sapotaceae
Sarraceniaceae Species Sarracenia oreophila, green pitcherplant
Subspecies Sarracenia rubra subsp. alabamensis
Styracaceae Styrax portoricensis
Symplocaceae Symplocos versicolor
Theaceae
Theophrastaceae Species Clavija parvula
Varieties Jacquinia macrantha var. clarendonensis
Fabales Species
Subspecies Astragalus macrocarpus subsp. lefkarensis, Lefkara milk-vetch Byrsonima nemoralis subsp. dressleri
Varieties Humboldtia unijuga var. trijuga
Fagales Betulaceae Species
Subspecies
Fagaceae
Myricaceae Myrica rivas-martinezii
Nothofagaceae Nothofagus nuda Nothofagus stylosa Nothofagus womersleyi
Gentianales
Apocynaceae
Asclepiadaceae Species
Subspecies Ceropegia decidua subsp. pretoriensis Pentarrhinum abyssinicum subsp. ijimense
Gentianaceae
Loganiaceae Species
Varieties Labordia tinifolia var. wahiawaensis
Rubiaceae Species
Subspecies
Varieties
Geraniales
Icacinales
Lamiales Acanthaceae
Bignoniaceae
Gesneriaceae Species
Subspecies Saintpaulia ionantha subsp. grandifolia Saintpaulia ionantha subsp. rupicola
Varieties Gesneria scabra var. fawcettii
Lamiaceae Species
Varieties
Oleaceae
Plantaginaceae Callitriche pulchra Plantago almogravensis Plantago famarae Plantago robusta, St Helena plantain
Scrophulariaceae
Verbenaceae
Other Lamiales species
Laurales There are 40 species in the order Laurales assessed as critically endangered.
Hernandiaceae
Hazomalania voyronii Hernandia cubensis Hernandia obovata Hernandia temarii
Lauraceae
Monimiaceae
Magnoliales
Annonaceae Species
Subspecies and varieties Artabotrys modestus subsp. modestus Uvariodendron molundense var. citrata
Magnoliaceae Species
Subspecies Magnolia cubensis subsp. acunae Magnolia virginiana subsp. oviedoae
Myristicaceae
Malpighiales
Calophyllaceae
Chrysobalanaceae
Clusiaceae
Euphorbiaceae Species
Subspecies
Varieties
Hypericaceae
Linaceae Linum cratericola, Floreana flax
Ochnaceae
Peraceae Chaetocarpus pubescens
Phyllanthaceae Species
Varieties Phyllanthus aeneus var. papillosus
Other Malpighiales Bonnetia ptariensis Bruguiera hainesii Cassipourea eketensis Cassipourea subcordata Cassipourea subsessilis Rafflesia magnifica, synonym of Rafflesia mira Salix tarraconensis
Malvales
Dipterocarpaceae Species
Subspecies
Malvaceae Species
Subspecies Hibiscus waimeae subsp. hannerae
Varieties Bombax insigne var. polystemon
Thymelaeaceae
Other Malvales species Species
Subspecies Elaeocarpus submonoceras subsp. oliganthus
Myrtales There are 97 species and five varieties in the order Myrtales assessed as critically endangered.
Combretaceae Species Combretum tenuipetiolatum
Varieties
Lythraceae
Melastomataceae
Myrtaceae Species
Varieties Eugenia harrisii var. grandifolia Myrrhinium atropurpureum var. atropurpureum
Onagraceae Epilobium numidicum
Trapaceae Trapa colchica, Colchis water-chestnut
Nymphaeales Nymphaea thermarum
Oxalidales Cunoniaceae
Ackama nubicola Codia xerophila Geissois belema Pancheria minima Pancheria ouaiemensis Pterophylla henricorum Pterophylla marojejyensis Weinmannia ouaiemensis, synonym of Pterophylla ouaiemensis Weinmannia tinctoria Weinmannia ysabelensis, synonym of Pterophylla ysabelensis
Oxalidaceae Oxalis natans Oxalis norlindiana Oxalis uliginosa
Piperales Piperaceae Species
Varieties Piper amalago var. variifolium
Plumbaginales
Podostemales
Proteales
Proteaceae
Sabiaceae
Ranunculales Species
Varieties Cissampelos nigrescens var. cardiophylla
Rosales
Moraceae
Rhamnaceae
Rosaceae Species
Subspecies
Other Rosales species Species
Varieties Geissois ternata var. serrata Neraudia angulata var. angulata Neraudia angulata var. dentata
Santalales Species
Varieties Santalum insulare var. margaretae Santalum insulare var. raivavense
Sapindales Aceraceae Species Acer hainanense Acer leipoense
Varieties Acer buergerianum var. formosanum, Taiwan trident maple Acer oblongum var. membranaceum
Anacardiaceae
Burseraceae
Meliaceae Species
Subspecies Trichilia trifolia subsp. pteleaefolia Turraea mombassana subsp. schliebenii
Rutaceae Species
Subspecies Pilocarpus goudotianus subsp. heterochromus
Varieties Zanthoxylum dipetalum var. tomentosum
Sapindaceae Species
Varieties Alectryon macrococcus var. auwahiensis Alectryon macrococcus var. macrococcus
Simaroubaceae Ailanthus vietnamensis
Zygophyllaceae
Saxifragales
Solanales Species
Varieties Ipomoea prismatosyphon var. trifida
Violales Species
Subspecies
Vitales Varieties Cayratia pedata var. glabra
Monocotyledons
Alismatales Najas marina subsp. arsenariensis
Arales Araceae Species
Subspecies Arisaema heterocephalum subsp. okinawaense
Arecales Species
Varieties
Asparagales Species
Subspecies Narcissus nevadensis subsp. enemeritoi
Bromeliales
Commelinales
Dioscoreales
Eriocaulales
Liliales
Orchidales Orchidaceae Species
Subspecies Cynorkis buchwaldiana subsp. buchwaldiana
Pandanales
Poales There are 37 species, two subspecies, and two varieties in Cyperales assessed as critically endangered.
Cyperaceae Species
Varieties Cyperus pennatiformis var. bryanii
Juncaceae Juncus maroccanus
Poaceae Species
Subspecies Puccinellia distans subsp. embergeri Puccinellia distans subsp. font-queri Varieties Cenchrus agrimonioides var. agrimonioides
Zingiberales
See also Lists of IUCN Red List critically endangered species List of least concern plants List of near threatened plants List of vulnerable plants List of endangered plants List of recently extinct plants List of data deficient plants
References