Over time, the world of botany has lost many fascinating species. In this article, you’ll learn about ten extinct plants that once grew on our planet but are now gone forever. These include everything from ancient trees to rare flowers, each offering a peek into Earth’s amazing botanical past. Their stories remind us why conserving the plants we have now is so important.
Table of Contents
- 1. Araucarioxylon arizonicum (Triassic Conifer)
- 2. Cooksonia (Early Land Plant)
- 3. Lepidodendron (Scale Tree)
- 4. Sigillaria (Seal Tree)
- 5. Glossopteris (Tongue Fern)
- 6. Franklinia alatamaha (Franklin Tree)
- 7. Silphium (Ancient Medicinal Plant)
- 8. Saint Helena Olive (Nesiota elliptica)
- 9. Cyanea pinnatifida (Haha)
- 10. Euphorbia mayurnathanii
1. Araucarioxylon arizonicum (Triassic Conifer)
Araucarioxylon arizonicum, also known as the Triassic conifer, was a massive tree that dominated the landscape during the Late Triassic period, approximately 225 million years ago. This prehistoric giant could grow up to 200 feet tall and 10 feet in diameter.
The tree’s fossilized remains are now found in the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. These petrified logs showcase the tree’s impressive size and structure, providing valuable insights into ancient ecosystems.
These plants went extinct due to climate changes and shifts in the Earth’s tectonic plates. Its disappearance marked the end of an era in plant evolution and paved the way for new species to emerge.
2. Cooksonia (Early Land Plant)
Cooksonia holds a special place in plant evolution as one of the earliest known vascular land plants. This small, Y-shaped plant lived during the Silurian period, about 430 million years ago.
Standing only a few centimeters tall, Cooksonia lacked leaves, roots, and flowers. Instead, it consisted of simple branching stems with spore-containing capsules at the tips.
Cooksonia’s extinction was part of the natural evolutionary process as more complex plant forms emerged. Its fossil record provides crucial information about the transition of plants from aquatic to terrestrial environments.
3. Lepidodendron (Scale Tree)
Lepidodendron, commonly known as the scale tree, was a giant club moss that thrived during the Carboniferous period, about 360 to 300 million years ago. These trees could reach heights of up to 100 feet with trunks 6 feet in diameter.
The scale tree’s name comes from the diamond-shaped leaf scars that covered its trunk and branches. These scars formed a distinctive scale-like pattern, giving the tree its unique appearance.
Lepidodendron plants became extinct due to climate changes at the end of the Carboniferous period. The cooler, drier conditions that followed were unsuitable for these moisture-loving giants.
4. Sigillaria (Seal Tree)
Sigillaria, or the seal tree, was another prominent plant of the Carboniferous period. This tree-like lycopod could grow up to 100 feet tall with a trunk diameter of 3 feet.
The seal tree’s name derives from the seal-like impressions left by its leaves on the trunk. These impressions formed vertical rows, creating a distinctive pattern.
Like Lepidodendron, Sigillaria went extinct due to climate changes at the end of the Carboniferous period. The shift to cooler, drier conditions made survival impossible for these ancient giants.
5. Glossopteris (Tongue Fern)
Glossopteris, known as the tongue fern, was a widespread genus of seed ferns that dominated the Southern Hemisphere during the Permian period, about 299 to 251 million years ago. These plants had large, tongue-shaped leaves with a distinctive network of veins.
The discovery of Glossopteris fossils on different continents provided crucial evidence for the theory of continental drift. This finding helped scientists understand how the continents were once connected.
Glossopteris became extinct during the Permian-Triassic extinction event, the largest known mass extinction in Earth’s history. This event, caused by massive volcanic eruptions and climate change, wiped out about 95% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species.
6. Franklinia alatamaha (Franklin Tree)
The Franklin tree, Franklinia alatamaha, was a small tree or large shrub native to the Altamaha River valley in Georgia, USA. Discovered in 1765 by botanists John and William Bartram, this plant was known for its beautiful, fragrant white flowers.
The Franklin tree was last observed in the wild in 1803. Despite extensive searches, no wild specimens have been found since then. The species survives today only in cultivation, thanks to seeds collected by the Bartrams.
The exact cause of Franklinia’s extinction in the wild remains a mystery. Theories include habitat destruction, climate change, and fungal diseases introduced by cotton plantations.
7. Silphium (Ancient Medicinal Plant)
Silphium was a plant of great importance in ancient times, prized for its medicinal properties and use as a seasoning. Native to the area of Cyrene in North Africa, this plant was so valuable that its image appeared on coins.
Ancient texts describe Silphium as having thick roots, hollow stems, and clusters of small yellow flowers. The plant was used as a contraceptive, seasoning, and treatment for various ailments.
Silphium plants went extinct around the 1st century AD due to overharvesting and possibly climate change. Its extinction serves as an early example of human activity leading to the loss of a valuable species.
8. Saint Helena Olive (Nesiota elliptica)
The Saint Helena Olive, Nesiota elliptica, was a small tree endemic to the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. This plant was not a true olive but was named for its olive-like leaves.
The Saint Helena Olive had dark green, leathery leaves and small white flowers. It was confined to a small area of the island’s central ridge.
The last wild specimen of Saint Helena Olive died in 1994, and the last cultivated plant died in 2003. The species’ extinction was primarily due to habitat destruction, invasive species, and possibly climate change.
9. Cyanea pinnatifida (Haha)
Cyanea pinnatifida, known as haha in Hawaiian, was a shrub endemic to the island of Oahu. This plant belonged to the bellflower family and was known for its large, lobed leaves and curved, tubular flowers.
The haha was found in the understory of wet forests on Oahu’s Waianae Range. It had distinctive purple-tinged leaves and produced clusters of white or pale lavender flowers.
These plants were declared extinct in the wild in 1996. The last known wild plant died in 2001, and the species is now extinct. Habitat loss, invasive species, and predation by introduced animals led to its demise.
10. Euphorbia mayurnathanii
Euphorbia mayurnathanii was a rare succulent plant endemic to the Western Ghats of India. This species was known only from a single location in Kerala’s Idukki district.
The plant was a small, spiny shrub with thick, fleshy stems and small leaves. Like other Euphorbia species, it produced a toxic, milky sap.
Sadly, this plant is now considered extinct in the wild, meaning it no longer grows in its natural habitat, though people still grow it in gardens or collections.
Since it was only found in one place, it was especially vulnerable to threats like habitat destruction and climate change. Its extinction shows how fragile and easily lost plants with very limited ranges can be.