Top 10 Extinct Plants in India

Because of human actions and natural disasters, many plants that once thrived on Earth have gone extinct. And if some went the way of extinction due to things beyond our dominion, others succumbed to habitat destruction and overuse of our natural resources. In recent centuries, large-scale deforestation and environmental destruction are responsible for the extinction of innumerous plant species. Here is a list of the Top 10 extinct plants in India, amongst the many that have disappeared, as a reminder of the fine balance between nature and human development, Their extinction is the permanent loss of biodiversity.

The Scale tree (Lepidodendron) once flourished in the coral forests. Its name comes from the Greek words lepido meaning scale and dendron meaning tree. This giant herb could reach heights of up to 100 feet, with conical branches. Unlike typical plants that reproduce through seeds, Lepidodendron did not generate seeds, rather, it reproduced through spores. It was a major component of the planet’s flora during the Paleozoic period. But Lepidodendron went extinct Toward the end of the Mesozoic era, so it became one of the Top extinct plants in India that are missing from our planets.

The Petrified Forest National Park provides a window into an Earth that is millions of years in the past, with remnants of Araucarioxylon arizonicum trees that roamed during the Triassic Period around 200 to 250 million years ago. Some of these fossilized trees are even inscribed in ancient petroglyphs made by Indigenous people thousands of years ago. Situated in northeastern Arizona, this park is evidence of the planet’s ancient history. While some plants, such as the Norfolk Island pine, a distant cousin of the Araucaria genus, remain, most have been lost. Similarly, we also saw the extinction of many species in India which includes Top 10 extinct plants in India.

It is an herb found in Gujarat, it is both annual as well as perennial species. It flowers from July to August, growing at elevations of about 1,000 meters. Grows gorgeous blooms in hues of blue, off-white, pink and white The plant displays beautiful flowers in shades of blue, off-white, pink, and white. Its natural habitat has been rapidly destroyed due to urbanization and agricultural expansion, threatening its decline. The milkwort has now become one of the Top 10 extinct plants in India amid the threat of human activities on biodiversity. Its disappearance is a sobering reminder of how much we can stand to lose without conservation efforts.

In 1919, Botanist Anselmo Windhoson discovered a petridized cone collected by local farmers in Petagonia, Argentina. Their investigation discovered the Sero Cudrado Petridified forest, which is 160 million years old for the upper-to-mid-middle-period period. This ancient forest was destroyed by volcanic lava flow, turning trees into stone. Major species were Arucaria Mirabilis, which left the petrified cone behind. The trees, reaching 330 feet with some 11 feet diameter, were similar to the modern Araucaria mirabilis found in Australia. This species is reminiscent of the top extinct plants in India which was once completed.

The flowering Saint Helena Olive belonged to the genus Nesiota in the Rhamnaceae family and was extinct in the wild by 1994. While native to a small volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean, the plant had stout branches and delicate pink flowers. However, despite its olive-tree likeness, it was not related to the true olive species, Olea europaea. The last cultivated Saint Helena Olive died in 2003 from a fungus. Human behaviour — deforestation caused by agriculture, fuel and construction — to a degree killed off an individual species unique to that part of the world. It is also a lesson about the Top 10 extinct plants in India & their sustainable conservation.

Calamites were massive, ancient plants that flourished in the Carboniferous Period. Closer to today’s horsetails, they also grew in thick clusters, growing up to 160 feet (50 meters) tall. These bamboo-like flora had ribbed, hollow structures that made them easy to fossilize. Despite the extinction of Calamites in the Permian Era, their trace fossils remain on numerous continents. The rhizome networks and ribbed stalks can offer insights about life and ecosystems of the distant past. The archetypes of these plants are an important part of the research on plant evolution which you can read more about in extinct plants found in India.

Among them, Archaefructus— considered one of the most ancient flowering plants— emerge as early as the Cretaceous period. These plants mainly existed in northern China. Unlike modern flowering plants, Archaefructus had no sepals or petals. Rather, their reproductive organs were place right on the stem of the plant. These plants are now extinct, despite their ancient origins. The very ongoing threat of such unique species was a testament to the vulnerability of plant life throughout time. Archaefructus which is among the Top extinct plants in India is a unique glimpse into the early evolution of the plant kingdom, and showcase its eventual extinction.

This member of the pea family has small, highly yellow flowers that cluster around the tip of the prime stem in a circular formation, allowing it to be spotted from far as it grows near the roadside (Gujarat). It is a forage plant cultivated in agriculture for pasture, hay, and silage. This herbaceous plant has a clover-like growth! Called “bird’s foot” for the shape of its seed pods, it used to be abundant in the region. Sadly, this plant is now extinct, which makes it a member of the list of Top 10 extinct plants of India.

A genus of early vascular (specialized tissues to transport water, nutrients, and sap) plants. The fossils of Cooksonia were discovered in the 1970s on a mountainside near Moneygall by student scientist John Feehan. These plants were some of the first land plants, and represent a major step in the evolution of plants. Cooksonia was widely abundant once upon a time, but is now an extinct species, like many others. Cooksonia is an example of one of the Top extinct plants in India, and reminds us of plants that played a part in forming early terrestrial bodies and were lost forever.

The Rhynia in particular was an extraordinary find that shed new light on the evolution of plants and the development of vascular plants — plants with specialized tissues for transport and which arose around 400 million years ago. It was the first effective land colonizer and, with its advanced anatomical features (unlike other contemporary plants), it was also a unique species. It was key to understanding early vascular plant development. Meaning “tributary” or “stream,” Rhynia lived near silica-rich hot springs and cohabitated with other vegetation, offering key insights about the planet’s first vascular plant species. Out of the Top 10 extinct plants of India the Rhynia is yet another key in unlocking the riddle of ancient plant evolution.

It is a stark reminder of how fragile our ecosystem is as we see plants going extinct not only in India—but globally, too. Human activities like deforestation, pollution, or the destruction of habitats have killed many plant species. With so many species lost, it means that much of what remains is in danger, and this loss of biodiversity highlights the need for conservation efforts to protect what remains. In concluding the Top 10 extinct plants in India, it is evident that preservation of our natural heritage is necessary for the future generations of the inhabitants. We should act responsibly to protect our environment and prevent even more species from disappearing for good, helping to keep nature in balance.

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