Oysterleaf
CR

Oysterleaf

Mertensia maritima

Unknown

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

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Oysterleaf faces severe threats from coastal development, sea level rise, and habitat degradation along its specialized shoreline environments. Climate change-induced coastal erosion and increased storm intensity are rapidly destroying the fragile shingle beaches and rocky shores where this species occurs. Human activities including tourism, coastal construction, and trampling have further reduced available habitat and population sizes.

Threat summary

Habitat

Oysterleaf occupies specialized coastal habitats including shingle beaches, rocky shores, sea cliffs, and salt marshes in Arctic and subarctic regions. The species requires well-drained, mineral-rich soils in maritime environments with high salt tolerance and exposure to sea spray.

Other threatened species in Boraginaceae

White IronweedCR

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Buglossoides arvensis

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MadwortEN

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Two-rowed StickseedEN

Two-rowed Stickseed

Lappula squarrosa

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Oysterleaf classified as Critically Endangered?
Oysterleaf is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Oysterleaf faces severe threats from coastal development, sea level rise, and habitat degradation along its specialized shoreline environments. Climate change-induced coastal erosion and increased storm intensity are rapidly destroying the fragile shingle beaches and rocky shores where this species occurs. Human activities including tourism, coastal construction, and trampling have further reduced available habitat and population sizes.
Where does Oysterleaf live?
Oysterleaf 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 Oysterleaf?
The main threats to Oysterleaf 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.

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