The rarest plants in Wales

Scientists at Amgueddfa Cymru have been researching the possibility that the Perennial Centuary (Centaurium scilloides) colonised Britain by sea.

For its size, Wales has a rich flora. The variation in rock types and landscapes from the limestones of the Gower Peninsular to the mud-stones and volcanic rocks of Snowdonia support many different and special plants. Wales is home to a number of rare plants. Some rare species are endemic to Wales and occur nowhere else in the world, such as Ley's Whitebeam or the Black Mountain Hawkweed. Other rare plants occur elsewhere but in the British Isles only occur in Wales, such as the Snowdon Lily or Yellow Whitlow Grass. Others are rare on an international basis, such as Perennial Centaury or Wild Asparagus.

The Welsh Rare Plants Project aims to help conserve threatened Welsh plants by providing a firm scientific basis for their conservation. The advice is provided by collecting information on the size and location of rare plant populations, assessing threats to their survival, collecting ecological information, analysing genetic variation and making recommendations for habitat management.

It is a joint project between Amgueddfa Cymru — National Museum Wales and the National Botanic Garden of Wales, with part funding from the Countryside Council for Wales.

Click on the thumbnails below for information on each rare plant:

Comments (6)

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Paul Griffiths
29 May 2020, 19:19
Spotted perennial centaury (Centaurium scilloides) on clifftop between Manorbier and Lydstep, Pembs. Not recorded here on BSBI map. Best wishes, pg
Nia Evans Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales Staff
29 May 2020, 13:05

Dear John Bennett,

Many thanks for getting in touch with us. I have passed on your comment to my colleague who will hopefully be able to offer some advice on this.

Many thanks,

Nia
(Digital team)

John Bennett
28 May 2020, 20:38
i have found wild pansies in my back garden can i dig tgem up and put tgem in my border
Vera Darby
3 March 2019, 14:05
We have some orchids and other unusual flowers I do not know which grow on our land in Flintshire. Is there a way of identifying them and protecting them? Is there a book or an organisation which can help us to protect them? We have a lot of public footpaths through here and people pick bluebells and primroses by the armful and drop them carelessly down the track because they have died in their hands. Some flowers which I have never seen anywhere else also grow here and I would like to preserve what I can. We have rare orchids and some plants I cannot identify from any pictures I have seen. I have been scared to touch them
1 March 2019, 21:06
It’s very helpful for my writing thing in my class. Thanks!
James Normansell Normansell
5 February 2019, 10:04
Hello. Our Community Garden in Brynna is keen to grow species of vegetables and flowers that are native (or at least commonly found in Wales). Are you able to advise, at all, on what plants we should be considering, please? Also, can you recommend a good reference book that would advise us to look out for? Kind regards. James Normansell.