disappearance of many species of flora often depends on the person and his destructive, as it turns out, work.Thousands of copies of rare plants will never see the humanity.The Red Book is a list of plants and animals, either extinct or on the verge of it.But even with the existing account, to know exactly how many copies of certain plants left in the world, it is impossible.
Extinct species
Extinct species receive this status and its place in the "black list" after the last copy disappears, officially documented.Many extinct species known only by his "remains" - prints on the rocks, evidence in official documents.
One of the most ancient extinct plants - is arhefruktus.His remains were found in 1998 in the Lower Cretaceous sediments in China.
Extinct a genus of plants, but they are likely the child or next of kin considered water lilies.Arhefruktus also grown in ponds, but was not fully formed (for example, no petals).Scientists believe it is an ancient ancestor of all flowering plants in the modern history.
Extinct species usually relate to the early epochs of nature.It is worth mentioning arheopteris - ancient fern, which grows even in the Paleozoic era.It is considered the oldest tree.It is also interesting for its structure tree-like plant lepidodendrons that existed in the Carboniferous period.Its leaves grow directly from the trunk, without stalks, so after leaf trunk remained cicatrectomy, making crust similar to the crocodile skin.
Unfortunately, ancient extinct plants are not alone in their plight.Even in the 20th century made possible the disappearance from the face of the Earth's flora.Thus, for example, has been irretrievably lost kriyskaya violet that grew on limestone soils in the southeast of France.It resulted in the death of her unexpected destruction of limestone.
As of 2011, 799 species have completely disappeared (including flora), in the wild has ceased to exist 61 species and a large number is on the verge of extinction.Every year, these figures are, unfortunately, only grow.
Extinct in the wild
EW - such status is obtained plants that survived only in captivity.They usually grow in botanical gardens or nature reserves where their population carefully watched.
example, encephalartos Wood grown on the forested slopes of South Africa, it has been removed from the wild and placed in the botanical gardens in different parts of the world.Because of the adverse conditions, this plant could disappear forever.And all because that is the kind of male plants, that is, it does not breed in the usual way, and extends by dividing a single instance.
Endangered plants are sometimes considered completely disappeared from the world, but a miracle happens and someone finds the last instance.This happened with Gibraltar campion, which for many years was considered lost for nature.But in 1994, a mountaineer accidentally stumbled upon this flower in the mountains.To date, this plant lives in Gibraltar Botanical Garden and Royal Garden London.
Due to the extinction of their only pollinators - birds sunbirds - disappeared a beautiful flower, called "parrot's beak".Its inflorescence really resemble a bird's beak, although they are red-orange color.Homeland flower are the Canary Islands.
Another interesting flower that is now in captivity - a chocolate cosmos.This unusual name was a Mexican flower with a scent of vanilla.
reason for the disappearance of many plants is a human activity, but natural disasters are making their contribution to the sad.So, after a fire in 1978 in Hawaii, had disappeared from the wild flower Kokio who grew up only a certain kind of tree trunks.
critically endangered
CR - this category is critical for all species under threat.Perhaps those plants that are in this category, has long been dead, but scientists do not have time to carry out enough research to prove this.In 2011, under the sign of CR was 1619 plant species.
Endangered Plants of Russia also included in this category.Plants such as ginseng, Adonis spring, yellow water lily, are on the verge of extinction in our country because of its medicinal properties.Many people are unaware that it is a plant of the Red Book, tear them, thereby ruining the entire population.
One of the rarest plants in the world - mountain flower Edelweiss.It can be found in the Alps, the Altai and the Caucasus, but it needs to climb to a height of several thousand meters.Flower, surrounded by legends, which has an inflorescence in the form of stars, like loneliness, even though the patron saint of lovers.
plants from the Red Book is forbidden to pluck.For example, in Switzerland for such an offense would have to pay a fine impressive.
Endangered Species
EN - the status of which is prepared by the species at risk of disappearing because of their small size or unfavorable conditions of the world and their habitat.
Since then, as the world got the first man, the extinction of species of plants and animals began to gain rapidly.This was associated with agriculture, and hunting.
What plants are dying and what is not, it is difficult to determine.This is because some types of habitats are simply unknown, to establish their exact number is not possible.
in the Red Book of Russia 652 plant species that are considered endangered.Among them polushnik, snowdrop ploskolistny, Fori rhododendron, sacred lotus, peony mountain, and many others.
Endangered plants in Russia are protected, however, the administrative.But in the case of extinction of any species plants from the Red Book of subsequent criminal responsibility.
vulnerable species
VU - the conservation status of plant species that are at risk of becoming endangered.But there are plants that are perfectly reproduce in captivity and, in fact, are not under threat.However, scientists are inclined to leave this status for them, because there is likely to reduce populations in the wild.For example, the carnivorous plant Venus flytrap, which feeds on insects and sometimes clams, has the status of VU.
This category of plant has more than five thousand plants, including mosses.For example, Russian knapweed, gorse Scythian, walnut bearish, tulip Gesner, yew, etc.
Species dependent on conservation efforts
Since 1994, the World Conservation Union does not have any new types of plants in this category.CD is a subcategory, which is divided into three branches:
- dependent on conservation;
- close to the vulnerable;
- small threat.
in the International Red Book recorded 252 species belonging to this sub-category.For example, kunonya rotundifolia, several kinds elaeocarpus, Mexican viburnum, etc.
Endangered Plants in this category are almost never returned since to restore the population of endangered plants is almost impossible.
Close to the vulnerable situation of
NT-status is given to the animals and plants that can get into the group of vulnerabilities in the near future, but is not currently subject to any threats.The main criteria for falling into this category are the reduction of the population size and distribution in the world.
In 2011, this status had more than 1,200 plants.
Species under the lowest threat
LC status assigned, and all other types of plants and animals that are not assigned to any other category.Endangered plants have never been in this category.
