More than a fifth of the world’s plants are at risk of becoming extinct, according to experts from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Their report, State of the World’s Plants, reveals that there are currently around 391,000 known plant species, some 82,000 (21%) of which are endangered. The greatest threats to plant life are identified as the destruction of habitats for the purposes of farming, deforestation for timber, and construction; however, climate change and invasive species are also having a serious impact. The report – the first of its kind – notes that humans have found a use for at least 31,000 plant species: of these, 17,810 provide us with medicines, while 5,538 are a source of food.
On a more positive note, the report found that 2,034 “new”…
