Red List for Vascular Plants

The IINH Red List for Vascular Plants from 2018 is the most recent inventory of threatened vascular plant species in Iceland. Assessment is as per the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria from 2017.

A total of 56 vascular plant species are on the IINH’s 2018 Red List. All Icelandic vascular plant species were assessed, with the exception of Hieracium (hawkweed) and Taraxacum (dandelion) microspecies. As of 2018, one species is classified as regionally extinct (RE) in Iceland, eight are critically endangered (CR), seven are endangered (EN), and 31 are vulnerable (VU). Several species are new on the Red List. Most newly added species to the Red list have only been recently found here in Iceland. Many of these species thus fall into the category of Data Deficient (DD). These species are: Melampyrum pratense (CR), Botrychium lunaria v. melzeri (DD), Botrychium nordicum (DD), Carex buxbaumii (DD), Huperzia arctica (DD), and Potamogeton compressus (DD).

The IINH recommends that all species on the Red List (i.e., in the categories RE, CR, EN, VU, and DD) be declared protected in Iceland.

NB. This is an English version of the Red List. In the case of discrepancy, the original Icelandic version, Válisti æðplantna, is the authoritative text.

Species Regionally Extinct (RE)

Name Scientific name Category Criteria Global
Davíðslykill Primula egaliksensis RE   LC

Species Critically Endangered (CR)

Name Scientific name Category Criteria Global
Skeggburkni Asplenium septentrionale CR D NE
Gljástör Carex pallescens CR B1; B2a+b(iv) NE
Vatnsögn Crassula aquatica CR B1; B2b(ii,v) NE
Mýramaðra Galium palustre CR B1; B2b(ii,iii,v); C2a(i); D LC
Mosaburkni Hymenophyllum wilsonii CR A4; B1+2ab(ii,v); C1+2a(i); D LC
Burstajafni Lycopodium clavatum CR B1; B2a+b(iii), D NE
Engjakambjurt Melampyrum pratense CR B1; B2a+b(iii) NE
Glitrós Rosa dumalis CR D NE

Species Endangered (EN)

Name Scientific name Category Criteria Global
Svartburkni Asplenium trichomanes EN D NE
Vorstör Carex caryophyllea EN D NE
Trjónustör Carex flava EN D LC
Knjápuntur Danthonia decumbens EN D NE
Tjarnablaðka Persicaria amphibia EN B1; B2a+b(iv) LC
Maríulykill Primula stricta EN B1; B2b(iv) LC
Tunguskollakambur Struthiopteris spicant var. fallax EN D NE

Species Vulnerable (VU)

Name Scientific name Category Criteria Global
Lyngbúi Ajuga pyramidalis VU D1 NE
Ljósalyng Andromeda polifolia VU D2 LC
Ginhafri Arrhenatherum elatius VU D2 NE
Klettaburkni Asplenium viride VU D1; D2 NE
Mánajurt Botrychium boreale VU D1 NE
Fjallabláklukka Campanula uniflora VU D2 NE
Hrísastör Carex adelostoma VU D2 DD
Heiðastör Carex heleonastes VU   DD
Hlíðaburkni Cryptogramma crispa VU D2 NE
Skógelfting Equisetum sylvaticum VU D2 NE
Sandlæðingur Glaux maritima VU D2 NE
Flæðalófótur Hippuris tetraphylla VU D2 LC
Fitjasef Juncus gerardii VU D2 NE
Stinnasef Juncus squarrosus VU D2 NE
Munkahetta Lychnis flos-cuculi VU D2 NE
Hreistursteinbrjótur Micranthes foliolosa VU D2 NE
Naðurtunga Ophioglossum azoricum VU D2 NE
Súrsmæra Oxalis acetosella VU D1; D2 NE
Stefánssól Papaver radicatum ssp. stefanssonii VU D2 NE
Flóajurt Persicaria maculosa VU D2 LC
Blæösp Populus tremula VU D2 LC
Sifjarsóley Ranunculus islandicus VU D2 NE
Þyrnirós Rosa spinosissima VU D2 NE
Lónajurt Ruppia maritima VU D2 LC
Fjallkrækill Sagina caespitosa VU C2a(i) NE
Blátoppa Sesleria albicans VU B1; B2ab(ii,iii,iv) NE
Flæðaskurfa Spergularia salina VU   LC
Línarfi Stellaria borealis VU D2 NE
Rauðberjalyng Vaccinium vitis-idaea VU D2 LC
Laugadepla Veronica anagallis-aquatica VU D2 LC
Giljaflækja Vicia sepium VU D2 NE

Species Near Threatened (NT)

Name Scientific name Category Criteria Global
Renglutungljurt Botrychium tenebrosum NT   NE
Safastör Carex diandra NT   LC
Finnungsstör Carex nardina NT   NE
Hjartafífill Crepis paludosa NT   NE
Grámygla Gnaphalium uliginosa NT   NE
Loðgresi Holcus lanatus NT   NE
Vatnsnafli Hydrocotyle vulgaris NT   LC
Vatnalaukur Isoetes lacustris NT   LC
Eggtvíblaðka Listera ovata NT   NE
Ferlaufungur Paris quadrifolia NT   NE

Data Deficient (DD)

Name Scientific name Category Criteria Global
  Botrychium lunaria var. melzeri DD   NE
Keilutungljurt Botrychium minganense DD   NE
Skorutungljurt Botrychium nordicum DD   NE
Lækjabrúða Callitriche brutia DD   LC
Klumbustör Carex buxbaumii DD   LC
Hveraaugnfró Euphrasia calida DD   NE
Álfafingur Huperzia arctica DD   NE
Sverðnykra Potamogeton compressus DD   NE
Hagabrúða Valeriana sambucifolia DD   NE

Species not Redlisted

Species evalutated Least Concern (LC)

Name Scientific name Category Criteria Global
Fjallalójurt Antennaria alpina LC   NE
Dvergtungljurt Botrychium simplex v. simplex LC   NE
Haustbrúða Callitriche hermaphroditica LC   LC
Línstör Carex brunnescens LC   LC
Fölvastör Carex livida LC   LC
Hagastör Carex pulicaris LC   NE
Fjallabrúða Diapensia lapponica LC   NE
Þrenningarmaðra Galium trifidum LC   LC
Mýraertur Lathyrus palustris LC   LC
Fuglaertur Lathyrus pratensis LC   NE
Blóðkollur Sanguisorba officinalis LC   LC
Bergsteinbrjótur Saxifraga paniculata LC   NE
Skógfjóla Viola riviniana LC   NE
Hnotsörvi Zannichellia palustris LC   LC

Species evaluated Not Applicable (NA)

Name Scientific name Category Criteria Global
Villilaukur Allium oleraceum NA   NE
Refagras Cystopteris fragilis NA   NE
Rauðkollur Knautia arvensis NA   NE
Vatnamynta Mentha aquatica NA   LC
Blóðmura Potentilla erecta NA   NE

The IINH Red List for Plants (Válisti plantna, in Icelandic) was first published in 1996 and included vascular plants; Bryopsida; benthic algae classified as red algae (Rhodophyceae), yellow-green algae (Tribophyceae), golden algae (Chrysophyceae), brown algae (Phaeophyta), and green algae (Chlorophyta); and lichens with the exception of crustose lichens. Species assessment for the 1996 Red List was based on the IUCN criteria from 1994.

An updated version of the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria was approved in 2000 and published in 2001. Following the publication of Vöktun válistaplantna (Fjölrit Náttúrufræðistofnunar No. 50, authored by Hörður Kristinsson, Eva G. Þorvaldsdóttir, and Björgvin Steindórsson) in 2007, on monitoring of redlisted and protected plant species, 79 species vascular plant species were assessed based on the 2001 IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. A new version of the Red List for Vascular Plants was published in 2008 (Válisti æðplantna 2008, in Icelandic).