Betony
Betonica officinalis
Betonica officinalis, common name betony is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. Other vernacular names include wood betony, common hedgenettle, purple betony, bishopwort, or bishop's wort.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betonica_officinalis
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Family
Lamiaceae
Genus
Betonica
Betony belongs to the family Lamiaceae, order Lamiales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Betonica officinalis, common name betony is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. Other vernacular names include wood betony, common hedgenettle, purple betony, bishopwort, or bishop's wort.
Betony (Betonica officinalis) is declining primarily due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification and changes in traditional grassland management practices. The conversion of species-rich meadows to intensive agriculture and the abandonment of traditional hay-making have significantly reduced suitable habitat for this grassland specialist.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Betony (Betonica officinalis) is declining primarily due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification and changes in traditional grassland management practices. The conversion of species-rich meadows to intensive agriculture and the abandonment of traditional hay-making have significantly reduced suitable habitat for this grassland specialist.
Abandonment of traditional hay meadow management
Agricultural intensification and conversion of grasslands
Changes in grazing regimes
Eutrophication from fertilizer runoff
Habitat fragmentation
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Betony (Betonica officinalis). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/betony