Hieracium snowdoniense, the Snowdonia hawkweed, is a species of flowering plant within the family Asteraceae. The species is endemic to Snowdonia, North Wales.
| Hieracium snowdoniense | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Hieracium |
| Species: | H. snowdoniense
|
| Binomial name | |
| Hieracium snowdoniense | |
It was believed to have become extinct in the early 1950s as a result of overgrazing sheep on the habitat.[2] In 2002, three plants of the species were re-discovered on steep slopes in the Cwm Idwal National Nature Reserve above Bethesda.[2] In 2021 it appeared that the population had doubled to six plants, but they were in an extremely inaccessible place, making it impossible to confirm that all six were in fact Hieracium snowdoniense.[3]
In order to conserve the population, conservationists have removed sheep from the area. Seeds of the species were also collected, and captive specimens are being cultivated at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.[2]
Description
editHieracium snowdoniense is a perennial species,[2] which possesses a rosette of leaves at the base of the plant. Leaves are lanceolate to ovate, toothed weakly and narrow at the base. Both sides of the leaf possess hairs.[4] Stems of the plant reach up to 40 cm and host flowers. Peduncles are varied in length and support golden-yellow inflorescences.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Hieracium snowdoniense". IPNI.
- ^ a b c d Fray, Penny (16 August 2021). "The incredibly rare Snowdonia plant feared extinct for 50 years now making a comeback". Daily Post (North Wales). Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- ^ "Snowdonia Hawkweed: 'One of most threatened in the world'". BBC News. 28 August 2021.
- ^ a b Rich, T. C. G.; Hand, Suzanne (2003). "Conservation of Britain's biodiversity: Hieracium snowdoniense (Asteraceae), Snowdonia Hawkweed" (PDF). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (bsbi.org.uk). Retrieved 30 October 2022.
External links
edit- "Hieracium snowdoniense". ARKive. Archived from the original on 7 May 2006. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
- "Plant thought extinct found on mountain". The Western Mail. 6 August 2002. Archived from the original on 4 December 2005.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - Stephen Moss (8 June 2006). "The creatures that came back from the dead". The Guardian. London.
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