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The Recently Extinct Plants Database

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NB: The classification of plants and their allies presented here is a simplified version intended for the general reader. It should not be interpreted as an authoritative taxonomic treatment.

NB: POWO (Plants of the World Online) uses "Extinct" (with red geographical distribution instead of green) for both globally extinct and extinct in the wild taxa, so distinguishing between these two conservation categories where POWO is cited is based upon a broader understanding of the literature. In some cases this may be wrong, as I do not have access to all of the literature that they reference. For taxa that I cannot find any evidence for their ever being in cultivation/ex situ I cite POWO as considering those taxa globally extinct by default.

 

Subkingdom: Charophyta

Subkingdom: Chlorophyta (Green Algae)

Subkingdom: Embryophyta (Land Plants)

Division: Anthocerotophyta (Hornworts)
Division: Bryophyta (Mosses)
Division: Marchantiophyta (Liverworts)

Superdivision: Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants)

(informal): Non-Seed-Bearing Plants

Division: Lycopodiophyta (Clubmosses, Firmosses and Quillworts)
Division: Pteridophyta (Ferns)
Class: [Equisetidae (Horsetails)]1
Class: [Marattiidae (Marattioid Ferns)]
Class: [Ophioglossidae (Adder's-Tongues, Grape Ferns, Moonworts, Whisk Ferns)]
Class: Polypodiidae (Leptosporangiate Ferns)

Spermatophytes (Seed-Bearing Plants)

Division: Cycadophyta (Cycads)
Division: Ginkgophyta (Ginkgos)
Division: [Gnetophyta (Gnetophytes: Welwitschia etc.)]
Division: Magnoliophyta (Angiosperms or Flowering Plants)
Order: [Acorales]
Order: Alismatales
Order: [Amborellales]
Order: Apiales
Order: Aquifoliales
Order: Arecales
Order: Asparagales
Order: Asterales
Order: [Austrobaileyales]
Order: [Berberidopsidales]
Order: Boraginales
Order: Brassicales
Order: Bruniales
Order: Buxales
Order: Canellales
Order: [Cardiopteridales]
Order: Caryophyllales
Order: Celastrales
Order: Ceratophyllales
Order: [Chloranthales]
Order: Commelinales
Order: Cornales
Order: [Crossosomatales]
Order: Cucurbitales
Order: [Desfontainiales]
Order: Dilleniales
Order: Dioscoreales
Order: Dipsacales
Order: Ericales
Order: [Escalloniales]
Order: Fabales
Order: Fagales
Order: Garryales
Order: Gentianales
Order: Geraniales
Order: [Gunnerales]
Order: [Huerteales]
Order: Icacinales
Order: Lamiales
Order: Laurales
Order: Liliales
Order: Magnoliales
Order: Malpighiales
Order: Malvales
Order: [Metteniusales]
Order: Myrtales
Order: Nymphaeales
Order: [Oncothecales]
Order: Oxalidales
Order: Pandanales
Order: [Paracryphiales]
Order: [Petrosaviales]
Order: [Picramniales]
Order: Piperales
Order: Poales
Order: Proteales
Order: Ranunculales
Order: Rosales
Order: Santalales
Order: Sapindales
Order: Saxifragales
Order: Solanales
Order: [Trochodendrales]
Order: [Vahliales]
Order: Vitales
Order: Zingiberales
Order: Zygophyllales
Division: Pinophyta (Conifers)

Subkingdom: Haptophyta

Subkingdom: Ochrophyta (Brown Algae)

Subkingdom: Rhodophyta (Red Algae)

 

Notes:

1 Taxonomic ranks encompassed by square brackets (i.e. "[" and "]") have no relevant subordinate taxa. That is, none of the species or subspecies included therein both a) survived at least until the late Pleistocene and b) are considered missing, extinct, rediscovered, or have been removed from these former categories due to taxonomic invalidity. This juxtaposition of non-empty and empty taxonomic units helps to identify potential instances of taxonomic bias in recent extinctions, and by extension those groups of organisms that may have an innate buffer against extinction.