Three Himalayan medicinal plants enter IUCN list

Subject: Environment

Three medicinal plant species found in the Himalayas have made it to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species following a recent assessment.
The details of the medicinal plants are given below:

Meizotropis pellita:

Meizotropis pellita, commonly known as Patwa, is a perennial shrub with restricted distribution that is endemic to Uttarakhand.
“The species is listed as ‘critically endangered’ based on its limited area of occupancy (less than 10 sq. km),” the study stated.
The species is threatened by deforestation, habitat fragmentation and forest fires.
The essential oil extracted from the leaves possesses strong antioxidants and can be a promising natural substitute for synthetic antioxidants in pharmaceutical industries.

Fritillaria cirrhosa:

Fritillaria cirrhosa (Himalayan fritillary) is a perennial bulbous herb.
According to the study, a decline of at least 30% of its population over the assessment period (22 to 26 years).
Considering the rate of decline, long generation length, poor germination potential, high trade value, extensive harvesting pressure and illegal trade, the species is listed as ‘vulnerable’.
In China, the species is used for the treatment of bronchial disorders and pneumonia.
The plant is also a strong cough suppressant.

Dactylorhiza hatagirea:

The species is commonly known as Salampanja and is a species of orchid generally found in the Himalayas.
The species listed as Endangered in the IUCN list.
It is threatened by habitat loss, livestock grazing, deforestation, and climate change.
It is extensively used in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and other alternative systems of medicine to cure dysentery, gastritis, chronic fever, cough and stomach aches.

IUCN Redlist of threatened species

Established in 1964, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species.
The IUCN Red List is a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity.
The IUCN Red List is used by government agencies, wildlife departments, conservation-related non-governmental organizations (NGOs), according to the list, biodiversity is declining.
Currently, there are more than 138,300 species on The IUCN Red List, with more than 38,500 species threatened with extinction, including 41% of amphibians, 37% of sharks and rays, 34% of conifers, 33% of reef building corals, 26% of mammals and 14% of birds.