Brazil lists 3,730 plant species as threatened with extinction

The Brazilian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has released an updated official list of threatened flora, identifying 3,730 species categorized as Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered. The new report includes 521 more species than the 2022 edition, a change officials attribute to increased scientific assessment efforts.

Among the notable updates, the pau-brasil tree has been reclassified from Endangered to Critically Endangered. The Cerrado and Atlantic Forest biomes show the highest proportions of threatened species at 35% and 38% respectively, while the Amazon stands at 18%.

Specific species highlighted include the baru tree, classified as Vulnerable due to deforestation and predatory logging, and the Alstroemeria chapadensis, a plant native to the Chapada dos Guimarães region in Mato Grosso, which is now Critically Endangered. Other species facing risks include the Brazil nut tree and mahogany, both listed as Vulnerable.