Betony
EN

Betony

Betonica officinalis

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betonica_officinalis

Overview

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.

Threat summary

Habitat

TERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Lamiaceae

CR

Salvia macrostachya

Unknown
CR

Salvia pamplonitana

Unknown
CR

Salvia sordida

Unknown
Meadow ClaryVU

Meadow Clary

Salvia pratensis

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Betony classified as Endangered?
Betony is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. 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.
Where does Betony live?
Betony occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Betony?
The main threats to Betony are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.