About the plant
Achyranthes arborescens is only found on Norfolk Island in the south-west Pacific Ocean. The island is home to around 200 native plants, including more than 40 which are only found here.
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Not yet evaluated
The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species uses a set of criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of the world’s species. The ongoing mission is to evaluate every plant species in the world.
IUCN Red List Status:
Not yet evaluatedData deficientLeast concernNear threatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically endangeredExtinct in the wildExtinct -
Banked in the MSBSeeds from this plant have been banked in Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, at Wakehurst in Sussex
Facts
- Endemic to Norfolk Island
- Threatened by rats
- Thrives on the banks of streams
- Vulnerable to heavy rainfall

Conservatoire botanique national de Brest via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

Conservatoire botanique national de Brest via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Lots of fruit but no seeds
Mature trees produce plenty of fruit and viable seeds, but very few seeds or seedlings are found. The culprits are rats. A rat control programme has been implemented on the island to protect this vulnerable species.
-
Not yet evaluated
The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species uses a set of criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of the world’s species. The ongoing mission is to evaluate every plant species in the world.
IUCN Red List Status:
Not yet evaluatedData deficientLeast concernNear threatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically endangeredExtinct in the wildExtinct -
Banked in the MSBSeeds from this plant have been banked in Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, at Wakehurst in Sussex