IUCN: Species of the day

28.01.10

As part of the celebrations for International Year of Biodiversity IUCN bring us a wonderful new resource - Species of the Day. On each day of 2010 a threatened species is profiled from the Red List describing its habitat, population, current plight, and future hopes.

More than 17,000 species are now on this most auspicious of lists, of which over 12,000 are plants (about 70%). Despite the overwhelming ratio of plants to animals just two plants have made the cut to date (only 7%). Hopefully, this disparity can be redressed later in the year and our green friends given the profile they deserve!

The two plants profiled so far are Aquilegia nuragica and Apium bermojoi (click the links to download the complete PDF files).

Aquilegia nuragica IUCN

 

Aquilegia nuragica

Profiled on the 4th January this Sardinian native is now confined to just one location. Classified as 'Critically Endangered' it's a perennial herb that grows in a gorge on near vertical limestone cliffs. It's believed there are only 10 - 15 individuals left in the wild.

 

 

Apium bermejoi IUCN

 

Apium bermejoi

Also listed as 'Critically Endangered' on the IUCN Red List there are now thought to be less 100 individuals.

On its island home of Minorca, in the Mediterranean, this dainty plant is faced with high competition and suffers at the feet of tourists and motorbikes.

 

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