Endangered plants and what we can do to help...

It is a fact that 20% of the world's plants are in the endangered category.More than 70% of the medicinal plants are endangered in India .This is very distressing because if the very delicate eco balance is upset the consequences will be disastrous for mankind in general.
  There is more information in the Botanical survey of India site and the ICUN (The International Union for Conservation Of Nature) site and the list of endangered species is growing at an alarming rate.
The different  broad categories in the conservation status  are :

Extinct-EX
Extinct in the wild-EW
Critically Endangered-CR
Endangered-EN
Vulnerable-VU
Near threatened-NT
Least Concern-LC


           A few species  in the Indian region which can be mentioned are the Pterocarpus santalinus or the Red sandalwood or the Rakthachandanam tree,The Sariba plant which is used in many Ayurvedic preparations ,Cycas beddomei and the list goes on....
          The very good looking Tigers are at least being talked about but so many species of plants are becoming extinct in the mute mode.
 One simple way to help our plants is by conserving their  habitat as a whole.We must try to plant as many native species of plants as possible in wastelands and along roads .This will attract the native insects and that in turn the native birds and this conserves the habitat as a whole.The exotic and ornamental plants which are not native will always try to to dominate the native plants and do not let them thrive.
 We are entirely dependent on plants so it would only be wise to protect them if we wish to secure our own future.Moreover these green inhabitants have been so useful to us for millions of years that we are obliged to help them in return.The cause may be altruistic or selfish but it's time to act now.