Woodwaxen
Genista tinctoria
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genista_tinctoria
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Family
Fabaceae
Genus
Genista
Woodwaxen belongs to the family Fabaceae, order Fabales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Woodwaxen faces severe population declines due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification and urban development, which has eliminated much of its traditional grassland habitat. The species is further threatened by changes in land management practices, particularly the cessation of traditional grazing and mowing regimes that maintained the open conditions it requires.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Woodwaxen occupies dry grasslands, heathlands, chalk downs, and coastal dunes, typically on well-drained, nutrient-poor soils. The species thrives in open, sunny locations maintained by traditional grazing or mowing, often found on calcareous and sandy substrates from sea level to moderate elevations.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Woodwaxen faces severe population declines due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification and urban development, which has eliminated much of its traditional grassland habitat. The species is further threatened by changes in land management practices, particularly the cessation of traditional grazing and mowing regimes that maintained the open conditions it requires.
Abandonment of traditional grazing and mowing practices
Agricultural intensification and conversion of grasslands
Habitat fragmentation isolating small populations
Urban development and infrastructure expansion
Succession to scrubland and woodland in ungrazed areas
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). Woodwaxen (Genista tinctoria). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/woodwaxen