ORCHID RED LIST AUTHORITY (RLA)

THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species provides taxonomic, conservation status and distribution information on taxa that have been globally evaluated using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. The information on the conservation status and distribution of the taxa assessed provides the foundation for making informed decisions about conserving biodiversity from local to global levels.

PROGRESS ON ORCHIDS RED LISTING

By end of 2025: 2,123 species assessed (c. 7% of family according to POWO)

History of orchid redlisting and other keypoints

2009-2012: 53 new assessments added
2013-2016: 694 new assessments added
By mid-2020, 1641 species (c. 6.0% of family) on GRL
Taxonomic spread of assessed orchids; Apostasioideae: 0/14 (0%) - Vanilloideae: 18/245 (7%) - Cypripedioideae: 169/175 (97%) - Orchidoideae: 365/4931 (7%) - Epidendroideae: 1084/21097 (5%).
90% of slipper orchids threatened (CR, EN, VU) (98% of Paphiopedilum spp.)
Of five extinct orchid species, four were endemics from islands or archipelagos

Number of submitted orchid species assessments published on the Global IUCN Red List per year (2000–2025) (blue bars, left y axis) and cumulative number of orchid species assessments published on the Red List (2000–2025) (red line and shaded area, right y axis). From Fay et al. 2025 (Biodiversity and Conservation)

RLA FOCAL POINTS

Pankaj Kumar - Coordinator
Pankaj Kumar - Asia
Jyotsna Sharma - North America & Caribbean
Eric Smidt - South America
Heidi Zimmer - Australasia
Murielle Simo - Africa
Brigitte Ramandimbisoa - Madagascar