White Swallow-Wort
Vincetoxicum hirundinaria
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincetoxicum_hirundinaria
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Family
Apocynaceae
Genus
Vincetoxicum
White Swallow-Wort belongs to the family Apocynaceae, order Gentianales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
White Swallow-Wort faces severe population declines due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development across its European range. Climate change is altering the species' preferred grassland and woodland edge habitats, while invasive plant species compete for resources and disrupt pollination networks essential for reproduction.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Dry grasslands, woodland edges, scrublands, and rocky slopes typically on calcareous soils in temperate European regions. The species prefers open to semi-open habitats with well-drained soils at elevations ranging from lowlands to montane zones up to 1,500 meters.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
White Swallow-Wort faces severe population declines due to habitat destruction from agricultural expansion and urban development across its European range. Climate change is altering the species' preferred grassland and woodland edge habitats, while invasive plant species compete for resources and disrupt pollination networks essential for reproduction.
Climate change impacts on habitat suitability
Habitat loss from agricultural intensification
Urban development and infrastructure expansion
Competition from invasive plant species
Disruption of pollinator networks
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). White Swallow-Wort (Vincetoxicum hirundinaria). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/white-swallow-wort