20 PLANTS IN DANGER OF EXTINCTION IN MEXICO - BIOLOGY - 2025

Some of the plants in danger of extinction in Mexico are the golden barrel, the Colima tajasillo, the Acritodon nephophilus, the hesperalbizia, the Hickel fir, the false peyote or the Guadalupe palm.

It is estimated that 20% of Mexico's wildlife species are in danger of extinction. Most of the plants that live in tropical forests are mostly threatened. This is due to loss of habitat resulting from the conversion of natural habitats for agriculture or livestock.

False peyote, one of the Mexican plants in danger of extinction

Mexico is recognized as one of the most biodiverse places on the planet; it is home to about 10% of known species. The threats of climate change and human activities in natural environments are a great threat to the existence of wildlife.

Among the most biodiverse regions can be found the coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea, the tropical jungles in Chiapas, the Yucatan peninsula and the deserts and grasslands in the north.

It is estimated that in Mexico there are 18,000 to 30,000 species of plants. Of this total, an estimated 10,000 to 13,000 are endemic; these are mainly concentrated in arid and semi-arid zones.

List of endangered plants located in Mexico

1- Barrel of gold

Although this spiny sphere is one of the most popular cactus species in cultivation, it is almost extinct in the wild.

It can be found in central Mexico, but its habitat was severely reduced in the 1990s thanks to the construction of a dam.

This cactus is grown in hatcheries around the world, but people continue to illegally remove this cactus from the wild.

Experts estimate that this plant may be extinct in nature in the next 30 years.

2- Tasajillo de Colima

This endemic species can be found in Colima, Jalisco and Michoacán de Ocampo. It is recognized as a vulnerable species from Mexico.

3- Acritodon nephophilus

This plant is a kind of moss. It is endemic to the Mexican nation, where it can only be found in two locations in Oaxaca.

Its natural habitat is tropical or subtropical humid lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss and is considered threatened.

4- Hesperalbizia or Albizia plurijuga

This genus comprises around 150 species of tropical or subtropical trees or shrubs of the Fabaceae family.

It depends on the location, some species can be considered as herbs; they are also known as silk trees.

They are usually small trees or shrubs with a short life span. The leaves are pinnate compounds; its flowers come out in groups with stamens much longer than the petals.

Albizias, with important medicinal and forage plants, are popularly used as ornamental flowers. Some species serve as food for the larvae of some moths.

5- Ceratozomy

It is a genus of cycads; most of the species are endemic to the mountainous areas of Mexico.

Most of the species have extremely limited ranges, and almost all of the described species are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or even critical.

These plants have a cylindrical stem and many branches. Its blades are straight and arranged like a spiral. Some species may have spines.

Most of the species inhabit mountainous areas. These forests can range from tropical forests to oak or pine forests.

There are many species in danger of extinction in Mexico, including: Ceratozamia alvarezii, Ceratozamia hildae, Ceratozamia kuesteriana, Ceratozamia lifolia, Ceratozamia mexicana, and Ceratozamia sabatoi, among others.

6- False peyote

This species of plant is in the cactus family. It is endemic to Mexico on the outskirts of Querétaro. This species contains zero to few traces of mescaline; the main alkaloid is pellotine.

These plants are greenish-yellow in color. Its natural habitat is semi-deserts or river beds; they can also be found in the shade of various bushes.

It is considered vulnerable due to its small range of distribution. Additionally, it is illegally collected as a narcotic and as an ornamental plant; its population is limited to 3,000 individuals.

7- Gaussia gomez-pompae

It is an endemic palm to Mexico. This species grows on steep limestone in the areas of Oaxaca, Tabasco and Veracruz.

It is usually 10 to 14 meters tall; the stems are about 30 cm in diameter. Its fruits are red-orange in color.

This species is classified as vulnerable and is threatened by habitat destruction and degradation.

8- Palma de Guadalupe

It is an endemic palm to the island of Guadalupe in Mexico. It is a fan-shaped palm that can grow 4.5 to 13 m tall.

The entire native population consists of three old trees with little successful recruitment for about 150 years.

The presence of native goats on the island prevented the re-growth of these native trees; as a consequence the ecosystem was drastically altered.

Thanks to the elimination of the goats, today a few hundred Palmas de Guadalupe remain in their home today.

However, this species is precariously rare and is considered an endangered species.

9- Johnston's Frankenia

This species of plant that can flourish is native to southern Texas and northern Nuevo León in Mexico, where there are about 30 known occurrences. It is a shrub that grows in open environments and in soils rich in salts and gypsum.

It is grayish-blue to bluish-green in color most of the year, except in fall when it turns bright red. The leaves are covered with fine white beauties.

Its main threats are oil exploration and brush removal.

10- Hickel Fir

It is a conifer species endemic to Mexico. It can only be found in the states of Chiapas, Guerrero, Oaxaca, Pueblo and Veracruz. It was declared vulnerable about 20 years ago.

11- Lennea viridiflora

It is a kind of legume. Its distribution is from Mexico to Colombia. It is threatened by the loss of habitat; from logging to urban settlements. It is rarely found outside of protected areas.

12- Guatemalan Fir

It is a native tree of Central America. Its range extends from Mexico to the north of Honduras and El Salvador to the south. It is a tree that grows in humid and warm environments in the tropical coniferous mountains.

This adept is a conical tree that can grow from 20 to 35 m tall; its branches are horizontal.

Its typical Mexican habitat is in volcanic lands; in humid climates with oceanic influence. It can be found in the Sierra Madre del Sur and in the Sierra Madre Occidental.

This species is considered in danger of extinction due to its loss of habitat and the felling of trees.

13- Mexican pistachio

This species of the Anarcadiaceae family can be found in Mexico, Guatemala and Texas. It is currently threatened by habitat loss and is considered vulnerable due to its conservation status.

14- Cassava esculenta or Walker's Cassava

It is native to the lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas in the United States and to Tamaulipas in Mexico. It is a species of flowering plants in the Euphorbiaceae family.

It is a perennial herb or small shrub that reaches a height of up to 0.5 m. The whole plant emits an odor similar to hydrogen cyanide. The roots are carrot-shaped and tuberous.

Its wild population is estimated to be less than 1,000 plants. It is considered an endangered species.

15- Star cactus

It is native to some parts of Texas and in the states of Nuevo León and Tamaulipas of Mexico. It reaches about 2.5-6 cm in height with a diameter of 5 to 15 centimeters.

Although previously more abundant, this species is restricted to a 200-acre site in Texas and to small sites in Tamaulipas. It is believed that there are no longer any specimens in Nuevo León.

Despite its rarity in nature, it is popularly grown as a house plant. It is characterized as an endangered species due to urban development, herbicides, and illegal collection due to its similarity to peyote.

16- Recchia simplicifolia

It is a species of plant in the Surianaceae family. This tropical tree is endemic to the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Veracruz.

It is considered an endangered species since 1998.

17- Ambrosia of San Diego

It is a herbaceous perennial plant native to Baja California and Baja California Sur. It grows in open fields in proximity to swampy or wet areas.

It is an open habitat plant and does not tolerate heavy shade. 19 populations are known; 14 in San Diego County and three in Mexico. Most of its natural habitat has been consumed by urbanization and development.

18- Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus

This cactus is endemic to Cuahuila, Nuevo León and the southern part of Querétaro. Its natural habitat is hot deserts. It is considered as threatened by the loss of habitat.

19- Nelson sprocket

It is a native species to the mountains of Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí and Tamaulipas. It has unique characteristics and is not closely related to any other pine, neither in morphology nor in genetics.

It is a small tree that grows to be 10 m tall. The seeds are edible and are transported to the markets of Mexico City, which is why it is deforested. It is considered a vulnerable species.

20- Gregg Pine

It is a medium-sized pine native to the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Hidalgo. This pine has been introduced in approximately 10 countries in recent years. In Mexico, it is in danger of extinction in the wild.

References

1. 8 plant species in danger of dissapearing (2011). Recovered from toponlinecolleges.com
2. Six species under threat in Mexico (2008). Recovered from edition.cnn.com
3. Acritodon nephophilus. Recovered from wikipedia.org
4. Albizia spp. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
5. Ceratozamia. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
6. False Peyote. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
7. Gaussia gomez-pompae. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
8. Guadalupe palm. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
9. Frankenia johnstonii. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
10. Mexican pistacia. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
11. Star cactus. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
12. Ambrosia pumila. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
13. Recchia simplicifolia. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
14. Guatemalan fir. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
15. Nelson's pinyon. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
16. Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
17. Lennea viridiflora. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
18. Endangered Plants of North America. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
19. Gregg's pine. Recovered from earthsendangered.com
20. Hickel's fir. Recovered from earthsendangered.com.