List of critically endangered plants


As of December 2023, the International Union for Conservation of Nature 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 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.

[Bryophytes]

There are 24 bryophyte species assessed as critically endangered.

[Pteridophytes]

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

Leptosporangiate ferns">Polypodiopsida">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

[Salviniales]

  • ''Marsilea fadeniana''

[Gymnosperm]s

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

Cycads">Cycadopsida">Cycads

Species
'''Subspecies'''

Conifers">Pinopsida">Conifers

Species
Subspecies
'''Varieties'''

[Dicotyledon]s

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

[Piperales]

[Piperaceae]

Species
Varieties
  • Piper amalago var. variifolium

[Campanulales]

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

[Campanulaceae]

Species
'''Subspecies'''

[Goodeniaceae]

[Theales]

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

[Malvales]

[Dipterocarpaceae]

Species
'''Subspecies'''

[Malvaceae]

Species
Subspecies
  • Hibiscus waimeae subsp. hannerae
Varieties
  • Bombax insigne var. polystemon

Other Malvales species

Species
Subspecies
  • Elaeocarpus submonoceras subsp. oliganthus

[Lecythidales]

Species
Subspecies
  • Eschweilera piresii subsp. viridipetala

[Santalales]

Species
Varieties

[Proteales]

Family Proteaceae - 103 species
Family Sabiaceae - 5 species

Rubiales">Rubiales (plant)">Rubiales

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

[Violales]

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

[Buxales]

[Buxaceae]

[Malpighiales]

[Euphorbiaceae]

Species
Subspecies
  • Euphorbia cylindrifolia subsp. tuberifera
  • Euphorbia stenoclada subsp. ambatofinandranae
'''Varieties'''

[Peraceae]

  • ''Chaetocarpus pubescens''

[Phyllanthaceae]

Species
Varieties
  • Phyllanthus aeneus var. papillosus

[Laurales]

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

[Hernandiaceae]

[Cucurbitales]

Species
Subspecies
  • Begonia quadrialata subsp. dusenii

[Ericales]

[Sarraceniaceae]

Species
Subspecies
  • Sarracenia rubra subsp. alabamensis

[Styracaceae]

[Symplocaceae]

[Celastrales]

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

Hollies">Aquifoliaceae">Hollies

Species
Subspecies
  • Ilex perado subsp. iberica
  • Ilex perado subsp. lopezlilloi

[Dichapetalaceae]

  • Dichapetalum korupinum
  • ''Dichapetalum letouzeyi''

[Myrtales]

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

[Myrtaceae]

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

[Combretaceae]

Species
  • Combretum tenuipetiolatum
'''Varieties'''

Water caltrops">Trapaceae">Water caltrops

  • Trapa colchica, Colchis water-chestnut

[Onagraceae]

  • ''Epilobium numidicum''

[Sapindales]

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

[Rutaceae]

Species
Subspecies
  • Pilocarpus goudotianus subsp. heterochromus
Varieties
  • Zanthoxylum dipetalum var. tomentosum

[Aceraceae]

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

[Sapindaceae]

Species
Varieties
  • Alectryon macrococcus var. auwahiensis
  • Alectryon macrococcus var. macrococcus

[Meliaceae]

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

[Burseraceae]

[Asterales]

Species
Subspecies
'''Varieties'''

[Magnoliales]

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

[Canellaceae]

[Magnoliaceae]

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

[Annonaceae]

Species
Subspecies
  • Artabotrys modestus subsp. modestus

[Brassicales]

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

[Cruciferae]

Species
Varieties

[Apiales]

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

[Araliaceae]

Species
Varieties
  • Polyscias sechellarum var. contracta
  • Polyscias sechellarum var. curiosae

[Gentianales]

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

[Loganiaceae]

Species
Varieties
  • Labordia tinifolia var. wahiawaensis

[Asclepiadaceae]

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

[Rosales]

[Rosaceae]

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

Other Rosales species

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

[Primulales]

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

[Theophrastaceae]

Species
  • Clavija parvula
Varieties
  • Jacquinia macrantha var. clarendonensis

[Rhamnales]

Species
Varieties
  • Cayratia pedata var. glabra

[Solanales]

Species
Varieties
  • Ipomoea prismatosyphon var. trifida

[Lamiales]

[Labiatae]

Species
'''Varieties'''

[Gesneriaceae]

Species
Subspecies
  • Saintpaulia ionantha subsp. grandifolia
  • Saintpaulia ionantha subsp. rupicola
Varieties
  • Gesneria scabra var. fawcettii

[Boraginales]

[Cordiaceae]

  • ''Cordia leslieae''

[Ranunculales]

Species
Varieties
  • Cissampelos nigrescens var. cardiophylla

[Fabales]

Species
Subspecies
  • Astragalus macrocarpus subsp. lefkarensis, Lefkara milk-vetch
  • Byrsonima nemoralis subsp. dressleri
Varieties
  • Humboldtia unijuga var. trijuga

[Caryophyllales]

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

[Caryophyllaceae]

Species
Subspecies
  • Moehringia intricata subsp. tejedensis

Cactus">Cactaceae">Cactus

Species
Subspecies
  • Ariocarpus bravoanus subsp. bravoanus

Other Caryophyllales

Species
Varieties
  • Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata

[Fagales]

Species
Subspecies

Other dicotyledons

Species
Varieties
  • Rhododendron protistum var. giganteum

[Monocotyledon]s

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

[Arecales]

Species
'''Varieties'''

[Orchidales]

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

[Orchidaceae]

Species
Subspecies
  • Cynorkis buchwaldiana subsp. buchwaldiana

[Liliales]

Species
Subspecies
  • Narcissus nevadensis subsp. enemeritoi

[Arales]

[Araceae]

Species
Subspecies
  • Arisaema heterocephalum subsp. okinawaense

[Cyperales]

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

[Gramineae]

Species
Subspecies
  • Puccinellia distans subsp. embergeri
  • Puccinellia distans subsp. font-queri
Varieties
  • Cenchrus agrimonioides var. agrimonioides

[Cyperaceae]

Species
Varieties
  • Cyperus pennatiformis var. bryanii

Other monocotyledons

Species
Subspecies
  • Najas marina subsp. arsenariensis