List of extinct plants of the British Isles

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The following are plant species which are or have been held to be at least nationally extinct in the British Isles, since Britain was cut off from the European continent, including any which have been reintroduced or reestablished, not including regional extirpations. Many of these species persist in other countries.

Ajuga genevensis in Germany in 2007. This species is extinct across the whole of the British Isles. AjugaGenevensis.jpg
Ajuga genevensis in Germany in 2007. This species is extinct across the whole of the British Isles.
Matthiola sinuata is extinct in Scotland and possibly Ireland and rare or absent in the rest of the British Isles Matthiola sinuata1.jpg
Matthiola sinuata is extinct in Scotland and possibly Ireland and rare or absent in the rest of the British Isles
Spiranthes romanzoffiana recently became extinct in England Spiranthes romanzoffiana.jpg
Spiranthes romanzoffiana recently became extinct in England

[7] [12]

Mosses feature frequently in the list. The flowering plant families appearing most frequently in the list are the Asteraceae and the Orchidaceae. Commonly cited reasons for plant extinctions in the UK include habitat loss, drainage, changes to farming systems and overgrazing. The most threatened habitats in the UK include meadows, peat bogs and marshes. The United Kingdom and Ireland both have a relatively small proportion of forest cover compared to other countries. In 2017 the UK was 13% forested [13] In 2019 Ireland was just 11% forested. [14] Charities involved in plant conservation in the UK include The Wildlife Trusts, Plantlife, The Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, Back From The Brink and Chester Zoo. [15] [16] [17] [18] Sightings of any of these species should be reported to the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, or the British Bryological Society in the case of mosses.

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Botanic Gardens of Ireland - The Red Data List of Irish Plants
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 "The Species Recovery Trust - Lost Life". www.speciesrecoverytrust.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2019-04-28. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  3. 1 2 3 "7 extinct plants in the UK and rarest plants to save". www.woodlandtrust.org.uk.
  4. ↑ Royal Botanic Gardens Kew - Grasses
  5. ↑ "Reintroduced Species Stamps and Souvenirs | Royal Mail Group Ltd". www.royalmail.com.
  6. ↑ Scientific American - Sweet Smell of Success Follows Reintroduction of Stinking Hawksbeard to UK
  7. 1 2 3 "Distribution maps". April 22, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Ghost orchid". Plantlife.
  9. ↑ The Telegraph - One in Five Welsh Plants in Danger
  10. ↑ BSBI Archive - Watsonia
  11. ↑ [Online Atlas of the British and Irish Flora - Matthiola sinuata]
  12. ↑ "British Bryological Society - Distribution Maps". Archived from the original on 2019-05-31. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  13. ↑ BBC News - Factcheck
  14. ↑ The Farming Independent - Irish Forest Cover at its Highest Level in 350 Years
  15. ↑ "How you can help".
  16. ↑ Heath, Neil; Bevis, Gavin (July 2, 2019). "Why are England's roadsides blooming?" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  17. ↑ "About | Magnificent Meadows". www.magnificentmeadows.org.uk.
  18. ↑ Bird, S. A.; Esseen, P. J.; Hewitt, R. (July 4, 2017). "Reintroductions of native plant species to the United Kingdom". International Zoo Yearbook. 51 (1): 32–49. doi:10.1111/izy.12156.
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