In the last 250 years alone, 571 species of plants have become extinct. The plant world, compared to the animal world, "disappears" much faster, at a double pace. This is supported by a study by the Royal Botanical Gardens of Kew, in London, and by the Swedish University of Stockholm, published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
The researchers analyzed the plants preserved in the herbaria of the major museums in the world.
The extinction is faster for species "in the minority", those that grow in isolated places or with a high degree of biodiversity.
Among the species that are no longer present on earth there are the Chilean sandalwood, the last sighting in the early twentieth century, the American Themia, a particular plant that grows (goes) entirely underground, except for flowers, and which has been erased from development urban area of Chicago.
"The extinction of plants - the study authors explain - is also a threat to other organisms and ecosystems, including humans. It is therefore necessary that this aspect be fully understood in order to plan effective conservation strategies".
Of the plants that are extinct, some have actually been rediscovered at a later time, but there is still no optimism, because the data may not be complete, given the limited knowledge concerning some areas of Africa and America Latin.