Pepper-saxifrage
Silaum silaus
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silaum_silaus
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Apiales
Family
Apiaceae
Genus
Silaum
Pepper-saxifrage belongs to the family Apiaceae, order Apiales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Pepper-saxifrage faces severe population declines due to widespread habitat loss from agricultural intensification and conversion of traditional hay meadows to improved grasslands. The species is highly sensitive to changes in grassland management practices, particularly increased fertilizer use and altered mowing regimes that have eliminated suitable habitat across much of its former range.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Traditional unimproved hay meadows, wet grasslands, and chalk downlands, typically on calcareous or neutral soils with low nutrient levels. The species requires specific management regimes including late summer mowing and minimal fertilizer input to maintain suitable habitat conditions.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Pepper-saxifrage faces severe population declines due to widespread habitat loss from agricultural intensification and conversion of traditional hay meadows to improved grasslands. The species is highly sensitive to changes in grassland management practices, particularly increased fertilizer use and altered mowing regimes that have eliminated suitable habitat across much of its former range.
Agricultural intensification and fertilizer use
Altered mowing and grazing regimes
Conversion of traditional hay meadows to improved grassland
Habitat fragmentation
Drainage of wet grasslands
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). Pepper-saxifrage (Silaum silaus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/pepper-saxifrage