40% of plant species facing risk of extinction: Report

Approximately forty percent or two-fifthsof the world's plants are at risk of extinction, scientists have warned.

Researchers say they are racing against time to name and describe new species, before they disappear.

Plants hold huge promise as medicines, fuels and foods, says a report by the royal botanic gardens, kew. These unknown species are a ''treasure chest'' of food, medicine and biofuels.

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But opportunities are being lost to use plants and fungi to address global issues such as food security and climate change.

Over 4,000 species of plants and fungi belonging to the same group as onion, garlic, spinach, cassava and a sea holly were discovered in 2019.

Whilecassava can help in securing the staple crop eaten by 800 miliion people, the relatives ofsea holly is anti-malarial and can treat inflammation.

The assessment of the state of the world's plants and fungi is based on research from more than 200 scientists in 42 countries.

The report was released on the eve of a united nations summit, which will press for action from world leaders to address biodiversity loss.

The scientists estimate that the extinction risk may be much higher than previously thought, with an estimated 140,000, or 39.4 per cent, of vascular plants estimated to be threatened with extinction, compared with 21 per centin 2016.

The research found 723 plants used for medicine are at risk of extinction, with over-harvesting a problem in some parts of the world.