Most Endangered Plant Species of the World

Endangered plant species are those at risk of extinction due to factors like habitat loss, invasive species, pollution, and climate change. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity.

Here are some of the most endangered plant and tree species from around the world:

Wood’s Cycad (Encephalartos woodii)

Wood’s cycad is an extremely rare cycad species endemic to South Africa. Only one specimen has ever been found in the wild, discovered in 1895 by John Medley Wood. Its natural habitat is thought to be mistbelt forests along the Natal midlands. Due to rampant collecting, the species is now extinct in the wild. A few preserved specimens exist in botanic gardens, propagated from the original wild plant.

Titan Arum (Amorphophallus titanum)

The titan arum, also known as the corpse flower, is a flowering plant native to the steep hillsides of western Sumatra. It has the largest unbranched inflorescence in the plant kingdom, reaching over 10 feet tall, giving rise to its nickname “corpse flower” from the pungent smell that attracts carrion beetles and flies for pollination. Deforestation and illegal poaching have decimated wild populations. Only about 1,000 plants remain in the wild.

Rafflesia (Rafflesia arnoldii)

Rafflesia holds the record for the world’s largest single flower, found in the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo. A parasitic plant with no visible leaves, stems or roots, it’s dependent on a vine host. The iconic flower can reach up to 3 feet across when fully open. Habitat loss poses the gravest threat, as lowland forests are cleared for palm oil plantations.

Attenborough’s Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes attenboroughii)

Attenborough’s pitcher plant is a recently described carnivorous pitcher plant from Mount Victoria on Palawan Island, Philippines. With pitchers that fill with a quart of watery acid fluid to digest insect prey, it grows only on a single peak where fewer than a hundred plants exist in a small range. Deforestation and increasing drought risk could wipe out remaining populations.

Western Underground Orchid (Rhizanthella gardneri)

The western underground orchid is an extremely rare orchid endemic to Australia. As its name indicates, the orchid grows completely underground with small white and purple flowers that never emerge above the surface. Today it is known from fewer than 50 plants in the wild, found in swampy woodlands of Western Australia that are threatened by clearing, climate change and too-frequent bushfires.

Middlemist’s Red Camellia (Camellia middlemist’s red)

Considered one of the rarest flowering plants in the world, Middlemist’s red camellia is only known to exist from two cultivated specimens – one in the UK and one in New Zealand. This unique camellia with bright pink flowers likely originated from China before becoming extinct in the wild due to habitat loss from development pressures.

Franklin Tree (Franklinia alatamaha)

The Franklin tree is a flowering tree species that has been extinct in the wild for over 180 years now. Originally found only along the Altamaha River in Georgia, it had disappeared from its native habitat by early 19th century from overcollecting and habitat loss. Today this beautiful small tree with white fragrant flowers survives only in cultivation from botanical garden specimens and propagation.

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba)

While a common sight in parks and gardens worldwide, wild gingko populations have been decimated from their native range in China where they are considered endangered. Deforestation, logging and development pressures have destroyed much of its habitat. Ancient wild trees persisting in Chinese temples and monastery grounds are some of the last remnants of this unique tree species with fan-shaped leaves.

Wollemi Pine (Wollemia nobilis)

The Wollemi pine is considered a “living fossil” since discovered in Australia in 1994. Previously known only from fossils, less than 100 mature wild trees exist in a remote canyon, threatened by phytophthora root rot. This unique conifer is now also being propagated.

Jade Vine (Strongylodon macrobotrys)

The jade vine is a rare woody vine endemic to the tropical forests of the Philippines. Known for its clusters of turquoise-green flowers, there are estimated to be fewer than 100 individuals left due to deforestation. It relies on a specific species of tree for support to grow into the forest canopy.

Giant Corpse Flower (Amorphophallus gigas)

The giant corpse flower, found only in western Sumatra rainforests, blooms with a putrid odor to attract carrion beetles for pollination. Reaching over 10 feet tall, this threatened plant takes nearly a decade to store enough energy to flower. Forest fires, illegal collecting and palm oil expansion further endanger it.

Brazilian Rosewood (Dalbergia nigra)

Overexploited for its valuable dark wood, Brazilian rosewood once dominated the Atlantic Forest but is now endangered from habitat loss and illegal logging for furniture exports. Fewer than a dozen protected reserves now harbor the remaining old-growth trees of this iconic tree.

Ghost Orchid (Dendrophylax lindenii)

The ghost orchid is a leafless orchid named for its spooky white flowers, native to Cuba and Florida swamps. Loss of its habitat and mycorrhizal fungus partner have made this orchid vanish across much of its former range. Alleged sightings occur but many populations have not been seen in years, prompting fears this orchid is vanishing.

Three Kings Kaikomako (Pennantia baylisiana)

The Three Kings kaikomako is likely the world’s rarest tree species, with only a single wild individual remaining on Great Island in New Zealand’s Three Kings Islands. Prone to storm damage and browsing by invasive mammals, it relies on human propagation efforts to prevent its extinction in the near future.

African Baobab (Adansonia digitata)

While the African baobab has a wide natural distribution across the savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, certain isolated populations have declined substantially in recent decades, largely from climate change. The baobab is unable to reproduce during increasing drought conditions, prompting conservation concern.

Dragon’s Blood Tree (Dracaena cinnabari)

The dragon’s blood tree is a iconic and endangered tree restricted to the Socotra archipelago of Yemen. The island’s harsh, arid climate has produced this distinctive umbrella-shaped tree with blood red resin. Habitat degradation from overgrazing threatens remaining individuals clinging to remote granite mountains.

Cooke’s Koki’o (Kokia cookei)

Cooke’s koki’o is an extremely rare small tree in the Malvaceae family, endemic to the Big Island of Hawaii where only around 60 individuals may remain in the wild. Predominantly threatened by habitat destruction from agriculture, non-native ungulates, and invasive plants, it now primarily occurs in a few protected nature reserves.

Parrot’s Beak (Lotus berthelotii)

Parrot’s beak is a small flowering shrub belonging to the pea family, endemic to the Canary Islands. Habitat loss has left only around 235 individuals in Tenerife and La Palma. Its colorful red and yellow flowers have a distinctive parrot-like shape. Continued pressures from introduced grazing animals poses the biggest threat to its survival.

Hulumoa (Kokia drynarioides)

Hulumoa is an extremely rare small tree in the mallow family, endemic to the Big Island of Hawaii. Only three wild individuals remain due to habitat destruction from agriculture, grazing animals, and invasive species. It relies entirely on propagation and reintroduction efforts in protected reserves to prevent its extinction.

Saint Helena Olive (Nesiota elliptica)

The Saint Helena olive is a species of flowering tree native to the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. Driven extinct in the wild by habitat destruction from introduced goats and human development, it persists through preservation of a few cultivated trees grown from cuttings of the last wild specimen prior to its death in 2003.

Toromiro (Sophora toromiro)

The Toromiro tree is a species that was endemic to Easter Island, famous for its towering moai statues. The tree species was overexploited for fuel and food by early human colonizers until the last wild tree died in 1960. A few ancestral trees have been propagated from botanical gardens and reintroduced to its native island, but it remains extinct in the wild.

Café Marron (Ramosmania rodriguesii)

Café marron is a rare tree endemic to the island of Rodrigues in the Indian Ocean. Thought to be extinct after habitat destruction from cyclones and grazing animals, a single surviving tree was rediscovered in the wild in 1979. Cuttings have been propagated and seedlings replanted, but its survival remains tenuous due to invasive species and climate change.

Juan Fernández Sandalwood (Santalum fernandezianum)

The Juan Fernández sandalwood is an aromatic tree that was endemic to Robinson Crusoe Island in the Juan Fernández archipelago off the coast of Chile. Driven extinct in the wild from overexploitation for its fragrant wood, it persists today through a few cultivated trees in botanic gardens grown from original seed stock.

Howell’s Spectacular Thelypody (Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis)

Howell’s spectacular thelypody is an extremely endangered wildflower known only from a single population along a river in Oregon, USA. With fewer than 250 plants remaining, its survival is threatened by habitat loss from agriculture, overgrazing, and encroaching invasive weeds.

Cipó De São João (Pyrostegia venusta)

The cipó de são joão is a stunning flowering vine from eastern Brazil with brightly colored orange flowers. Once common in Atlantic Forest remnants, it has become critically endangered from rampant habitat destruction for agriculture and urban expansion across its narrow range. Fewer than 50 populations may endure in protected patches.

Amargosa Niterwort (Nitrophila mohavensis)

The Amargosa niterwort is a small annual wildflower endemic to the desert region of the Amargosa Valley in Nevada, USA. Its delicate white flowers bloom in spring for just a few weeks along seasonal wetlands and alkaline sinkholes near the Oasis Valley. With such localized habitat requirements, the total population likely numbers less than 1000 plants. The biggest threats this exceedingly rare wildflower faces are groundwater pumping changing its ephemeral desert wetland homes and invasive species displacing the native vegetation.