EPPO Global Database

EPPO Reporting Service no. 08 - 2008 Num. article: 2008/168

Plant species threatened by invasive alien species


763 European plant taxa are considered as extinct or close to extinction, of which 75 no longer exist in the wild according to the IUCN global red list and national red lists. The geographical area under study is Pan-European as covered by Flora Europaea, i.e. including the Northern part of the Mediterranean and Black Seas, the Greek islands, Cyprus, Madeira and Canary Islands. These species are mostly endemic or sub-endemic. The highest numbers of extinct or critically endangered taxa are from the following areas: 162 in the Iberian Peninsula (representing 21.2%), 160 in the Balkan Peninsula (21%), 159 in Macaronesian islands (20.8%), and 135 in the Italian Peninsula (17.7%). The rest of Europe only gathers 147 extinct or critically endangered taxa (19.3%). Endemicity in Central and Western Europe is low and limited to coastal areas (cliffs, dunes, estuaries), rocks and lake shores. Although endemic species are found in Scandinavian and Baltic countries, only one has been found to be threatened. This may be due to a very low number of endemic species in northern countries.

The main factors threatening these rare plant species are listed below; it can be noted that they usually act in combination:
  • destruction of habitats is identified as the main driver of species decline, representing 53.4% of known causes of extinctions. It includes: agricultural practices (48.5%); infrastructure development and urbanisation (44.4%); as well as other causes such as management of non agricultural areas (8.5%)
  • intrinsic factors account for 53.9% of cases, including the extremely restricted range of species, limited reproduction, regeneration and dispersion capacities
  • climate change, although difficult to assess, is likely to influence reproduction/regeneration capacity of certain taxa. It is estimated that 73 taxa are at risk from climate change
  • invasive alien species, pollutions and other factors are additional drivers of species decline. They are difficult to assess, and often under-estimated.

Of particular interest are the plants recorded as threatened by invasive alien species:

Species
Family
Origin
Andryala crithmifolia
Asteraceae
Madeira (PT)
Apium graveolens subsp. butronensis
Apiaceae
ES
Apollonias barbujana subsp. ceballosi
Lauraceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Argyranthemum adauctum subsp. palmensis
Asteraceae
Las Canarias (ES)

Bencomia brachystachya

Rosaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Cheirolophus massonianus
Asteraceae
Madeira (PT)

Convolvulus subauriculatus

Convolvulaceae
Las Canarias (ES)

Crambe tamadabensis

Brassicaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Crambe wildprettii
Brassicaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Dianthus arenarius subsp. bohemicus
Caryophyllaceae
CZ
Dorycnium broussonetii
Fabaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Echium acanthocarpum
Boraginaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Goniolimon italicum
Plumbaginaceae
IT
Helianthemum bystropogophyllum
Cistaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Helianthemum cirae
Cistaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Helianthemum juliae
Cistaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Hypericum coadunatum
Clusiaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Iberis intermedia subsp. beugesiaca
Brassicaceae
FR
Isoplexis chalcantha
Scrophulariaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Lotus pyranthus
Fabaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Myosotis azorica
Boraginaceae
Açores (PT)
Onopordum nogalesii
Asteraceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Sideritis discolor
Lamiaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Silene nocteolens
Caryophyllaceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Sonchus wildprettii
Asteraceae
Las Canarias (ES)
Sorbus leyana
Rosaceae
GB
Sorbus wilmottiana
Rosaceae
GB
Teucrium heterophyllum subsp. heterophyllum
Lamiaceae
Madeira (PT)
Tolpis crassiuscula
Asteraceae
Las Canarias (ES)

Sources

Data supplied from the Most Threatened European endemic and sub-endemic Plants Database, Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle/European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity ; Conservatoire Botanique National de Brest, 2006.
Buord S, Lesouëf JY (2006) Consolidating knowledge on plant species in need for urgent attention at European level. Centre thématique Européen pour la Protection de la nature et de la Biodiversité. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle. European Environmental Agency. 50 p.