PLANT SPECIES IN IUCN THREAT CATEGORIES

Sept. 30, 2018

In a recent study published in the journal Current Science, scientists identified the threat status of 59 Indian plant species based on criteria used by the IUCN.

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The study initiated in 2012 to assign threat status to select plants, is published in Current Science.
S.K. Barik, Director of Lucknow's CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute and other experts from several institutes identified the threat status of 59 Indian plant species based on criteria used by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
They prioritized 59 plant species that are at risk of “elimination” if the threat levels they face are not assessed soon.
The study revealed that 10 species are critically endangered, 18 endangered, six vulnerable, five near threatened and one species each are data deficient and least concern.
It also altered the threat level of palm Bentinckia nicobarica (reported only from the Great Nicobar Island). It is currently listed as endangered; however, the new study suggests it is critically endangered based on its distributional attributes.
It is hoped that IUCN will take this assessment into account while updating their Red List.