The “beautiful yet mercurial” fen orchid – one of Britain’s most endangered orchids – has been brought back from near extinction, experts said.
After decades of conservation efforts, the fen orchid (Liparis loeselii) is no longer listed as at risk of extinction in the new Great British Red List for vascular plants, published on Wednesday.
The fen orchid proves to be a bright spot in an otherwise “stark picture” for Britain’s wild plants.
The new list, produced by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH) and covering flowering plants and ferns, marks a comprehensive review of the list since it was last published in 2005.
It reveals that more than a quarter (26%) of the 1,720 native species or those introduced before 1500 AD, are threatened with extinction, falling into the critically endangered, endangered or vulnerable categories, with a further 140 listed as near threatened.
The fen orchid is thought to be one of the few plants thought to have made it off the GB Red List due to conservation action since the system began in 1977, and is now listed as near threatened.
The orchid, which has particular requirements including damp alkaline soils and bare ground and flowers fleetingly in fens and sand dunes, was historically hit by drainage and abandonment of fens, as well as collecting by plant enthusiasts.
By 2010, it was reported to grow wild in just three locations in East Anglia and one dunes site in Kenfig, Wales, with the species numbering no more than 1,000 plants in total.
Conservation experts warned that many plants which were once widespread in the British countryside are now threatened, including wildflowers such as common milkwort found in species-rich habitats, those in wetlands such as marsh-marigolds and arable field plants including rough poppy.
Arctic-alpine plants such as the endangered alpine gentian are also threatened.
Dr Pete Stroh, BSBI scientific officer and lead author of the new list, said: “This latest revision of the GB Red List again paints a stark picture of the state of our wild flora.”
“Although a few of our rarest species, such as fen orchid, have a potentially brighter future thanks to the targeted efforts of conservation organisations, and some, for example bee orchid and pyramidal orchid, are more common than they once were, many plants once widespread in our countryside have continued to decline to the point where they are now assessed as threatened.”
He said the declines were linked to many factors, including more intensive agriculture, long-term neglect of landscapes, development and pollution.
“All these factors are most prevalent in lowland areas, but many wild flowers of upland areas are also at risk, most notably our arctic-alpine species, with some declines linked to the symptoms of climate change.”
The fen orchid is thought to be one of the few plants thought to have made it off the GB Red List due to conservation action since the system began in 1977, and is now listed as near threatened.
The orchid, which has particular requirements including damp alkaline soils and bare ground and flowers fleetingly in fens and sand dunes, was historically hit by drainage and abandonment of fens, as well as collecting by plant enthusiasts.
By 2010, it was reported to grow wild in just three locations in East Anglia and one dunes site in Kenfig, Wales, with the species numbering no more than 1,000 plants in total.
Nature charity Plantlife has led work with a range of organisations to save the plant since 2008, building on decades of work by the Wildlife Trusts to care for remaining sites and restore former sites to suitable condition.
This has enabled reintroductions of the rare orchid to more sites, and it is now found in seven locations in England and three in Wales with a population of more than 10,000 plants.
Its success is in contrast to elsewhere in Europe, where it is suffering marked decline with populations shrinking through much of its range.
Tim Pankhurst, a former conservation manager at Plantlife who dedicated his life’s work to protecting fen orchids before retiring in April 2025, said: “Playing a leading role in reducing the threat status of such a beautiful yet mercurial orchid is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a botanist and one I will always treasure.
“As we face the enormous challenges of climate and biodiversity loss, this provides a moment of genuine hope for the future and is testament to what dedicated partnership conservation work delivered consistently over many decades can deliver.”
Peter Atkinson, plants records officer at Cambridge University Botanic Garden, said the garden’s team had been investigating the life cycle of the fen orchid and maintaining a collection of plants for more than a decade.
“Our field observations have deepened our understanding of the species, directly informing improved management of existing sites and helping wild populations increase from a few hundred to several thousand.
“We’re now seeing strong, sustainable populations re-establishing in the wild – a clear sign that this kind of long-term, collaborative conservation really does work,” he said.
