Protected species
Across the British Isles, some plant species are afforded special legal protection to help ensure their survival. Nearly 300 species are protected somewhere in the British Isles. The exact species, protections and legal punishments vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction; the only species explicitly protected in each of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and the Isle of Man is Mentha pulegium (pennyroyal).
▸ Great Britain
Schedule 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 lists plants that may not be picked, uprooted, destroyed or offered for sale. It applies throughout England, Wales and Scotland. The two slight exceptions are that Hyacinthoides non-scripta (bluebell) is only protected against being sold in any form, and several species that are not native to Scotland are only protected in England and Wales.
Ophrys sphegodes is one of nine specifically protected orchids in Great Britain.
Rhinanthus angustifolius is, like many of our rarest species, widespread in continental Europe.
Stachys alpina is protected by law, but may well be a recent introduction at its few persisting sites.
Tephroseris integrifolia subsp. maritima is endemic to the north-western part of Holyhead Island, Anglesey.
- Ajuga chamaepitys (L.) Schreb. – ground pine
- Alisma gramineum Lej. – ribbon-leaved water-plantain
- Allium sphaerocephalon L. – round-headed leek
- Alyssum alyssoides (L.) L. – small alison
- Arabis alpina L. – Alpine rock-cress
- Arabis scabra All. – Bristol rock-cress
- Arenaria norvegica subsp. anglica G. Halliday – English sandwort
- Arenaria norvegica subsp. norvegica Gunnerus – Arctic sandwort
- Artemisia campestris L. – field wormwood
- Atriplex pedunculata L. – pedunculate sea-purslane
- Bupleurum baldense Turra – small hare’s-ear
- Bupleurum falcatum L. – sickle-leaved hare’s-ear
- Carex depauperata Curtis ex With. – starved wood-sedge
- Centaurium tenuiflorum (Hoffmanns. & Link) Fritsch – slender centaury
- Cephalanthera rubra (L.) Rich. – red helleborine
- Chenopodium vulvaria L. – stinking goosefoot
- Cicerbita alpina (L.) Wallr. – Alpine blue sow-thistle
- Clinopodium menthifolium (Host) Merino – wood calamint
- Coincya wrightii (O. E. Schulz) Stace – Lundy cabbage
- Corrigiola litoralis L. – strapwort
- Cotoneaster cambricus J. Fryer & B. Hylmö – wild cotoneaster
- Crassula aquatica (L.) Schönland – pigmyweed
- Crepis foetida L. – stinking hawk’s-beard
- Cynoglossum germanicum Jacq. – green hound’s-tongue
- Cyperus fuscus L. – brown galingale
- Cypripedium calceolus L. – lady’s slipper
- Cystopteris dickieana R. Sim – Dickie’s bladder-fern
- Damasonium alisma Mill. – starfruit
- Dianthus armeria L. – Deptford pink
- Dianthus gratianopolitanus Vill. – Cheddar pink
- Diapensia lapponica L. – diapensia
- Eleocharis parvula (Roem. & Schult.) Link ex Bluff, Nees & Schauer – dwarf spike-rush
- Epipogium aphyllum J. G. Gmel. ex Borkh. – ghost orchid
- Equisetum ramosissimum Desf. – branched horsetail
- Erigeron borealis (Vierh.) Simmons – Alpine fleabane
- Eriophorum gracile W. D. J. Koch ex Roth – slender cottongrass
- Eryngium campestre L. – field eryngo
- Filago lutescens Jord. – red-tipped cudweed
- Filago pyramidata L. – broad-leaved cudweed
- Fumaria reuteri Boiss. – Martin’s ramping fumitory
- Gagea bohemica (Zauschn.) Schult. & Schult. f. – early Star-of-Bethlehem
- Gagea serotina (L.) Ker Gawl. – Snowdon lily
- Gentiana nivalis L. – Alpine gentian
- Gentiana verna L. – spring gentian
- Gentianella amarella subsp. anglica T. C. G. Rich & McVeigh – early gentian
- Gentianella amarella subsp. occidentalis T. C. G. Rich & McVeigh – dune gentian
- Gentianopsis ciliata (L.) Ma – fringed gentian
- Gladiolus illyricus W. D. J. Koch – wild gladiolus
- Helosciadium repens (Jacq.) W. D. J. Koch – creeping marshwort
- Hieracium attenuatifolium P. D. Sell & C. West – weak-leaved hawkweed
- Hieracium northroense – Northroe hawkweed
- Hieracium zetlandicum – Shetland hawkweed
- Himantoglossum hircinum (L.) Spreng. – lizard orchid
- Homogyne alpina (L.) Cass. – purple coltsfoot
- Hyacinthoides non-scripta (L.) Chouard ex Rothm. – bluebell
- Lactuca saligna L. – least lettuce
- Laphangium luteoalbum (L.) Tzvelev – Jersey cudweed
- Leersia oryzoides (L.) Sw. – cut-grass
- Limosella australis R. Br. – Welsh mudwort
- Liparis loeselii (L.) Rich. – fen orchid
- Luronium natans (L.) Raf. – floating water-plantain
- Lythrum hyssopifolia L. – grass-poly
- Malva setigera Schimp. & Spenn. – rough mallow
- Melampyrum arvense L. – field cow-wheat
- Mentha pulegium L. – pennyroyal
- Microthlaspi perfoliatum (L.) F. K. Mey. – perfoliate penny-cress
- Najas flexilis (Willd.) Rostk. & W. L. E. Schmidt – slender naiad
- Najas marina L. – holly-leaved naiad
- Ononis reclinata L. – small restharrow
- Ophioglossum lusitanicum L. – least adder’s-tongue
- Ophrys fuciflora (Crantz) Moench – late spider orchid
- Ophrys sphegodes Mill. – early spider orchid
- Orchis militaris L. – military orchid
- Orchis simia Lam. – monkey orchid
- Orobanche caryophyllacea Sm. – bedstraw broomrape
- Orobanche picridis F. W. Schultz – oxtongue broomrape
- Orobanche reticulata Wallr. – thistle broomrape
- Petrorhagia nanteuilii (Burnat) P. W. Ball & Heywood – childing pink
- Phyllodoce caerulea (L.) Bab. – blue heath
- Phyteuma spicatum L. – spiked rampion
- Polygonatum verticillatum (L.) All. – whorled Solomon’s-seal
- Polygonum maritimum L. – sea knotgrass
- Potentilla rupestris L. – rock cinquefoil
- Pulicaria vulgaris Gaertn. – small fleabane
- Pyrus cordata Desv. – Plymouth pear
- Ranunculus ophioglossifolius Vill. – adder’s-tongue spearwort
- Rhinanthus angustifolius C. C. Gmel. – greater yellow rattle
- Romulea columnae Sebast. & Mauri – sand crocus
- Rumex rupestris Le Gall – shore dock
- Sabulina stricta (Sw.) Rchb. – Teesdale sandwort
- Salvia pratensis L. – meadow clary
- Saxifraga cernua L. – drooping saxifrage
- Saxifraga cespitosa L. – tufted saxifrage
- Saxifraga hirculus L. – marsh saxifrage
- Schoenoplectus triqueter (L.) Palla – triangular club-rush
- Scleranthus perennis L. – perennial knawel
- Scorzonera humilis L. – viper’s grass
- Selinum carvifolia (L.) L. – Cambridge milk-parsley
- Senecio paludosus L. – fen ragwort
- Silene suecica (Lodd.) Greuter & Burdet – Alpine catchfly
- Stachys alpina L. – limestone woundwort
- Stachys germanica L. – downy woundwort
- Tephroseris integrifolia subsp. maritima (Syme) B. Nord. – South Stack fleawort
- Teucrium botrys L. – cut-leaved germander
- Teucrium scordium L. – water germander
- Trichomanes speciosum Willd. – Killarney fern
- Veronica spicata L. – spiked speedwell
- Veronica triphyllos L. – fingered speedwell
- Viola persicifolia Schreb. – fen violet
- Woodsia alpina (Bolton) Gray – Alpine woodsia
- Woodsia ilvensis (L.) R. Br. – oblong woodsia
▸ Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, the relevant list is Schedule 8 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.
Silene acaulis is one of several mountain plants that are protected in Northern Ireland.
Although common in England and Wales, Betonica officinalis is rare elsewhere, and is protected across the island of Ireland.
Gymnocarpium dryopteris is widespread in upland Britain but may already be extinct in Northern Ireland, having last been recorded there in 1974.
- Adoxa moschatellina L. – moschatel
- Ajuga pyramidalis L. – pyramidal bugle
- Anacamptis morio (L.) R. M. Bateman, Pridgeon & M. W. Chase – green-winged orchid
- Andromeda polifolia L. – bog rosemary
- Betonica officinalis L. – betony
- Calamagrostis stricta (Timm) Koeler – narrow small-reed
- Carex magellanica Lam. – tall bog-sedge
- Carex pauciflora Lightf. – few-flowered sedge
- Centaurium littorale (Turner ex Sm.) Gilmour – seaside centaury
- Cirsium heterophyllum (L.) Hill – melancholy thistle
- Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides (Pugsley) R. M. Bateman & Denholm – narrow-leaved marsh orchid
- Dryas octopetala L. – mountain avens
- Elatine hydropiper L. – eight-stamenned waterwort
- Eleocharis parvula (Roem. & Schult.) Link ex Bluff, Nees & Schauer – dwarf spike-rush
- Epipactis palustris (L.) Crantz – marsh helleborine
- Epipactis phyllanthes G. E. Sm. – green-flowered helleborine
- Erica vagans L. – Cornish heath
- Erigeron acris L. – blue fleabane
- Frangula alnus Mill. – alder buckthorn
- Geranium sylvaticum L. – wood cranesbill
- Gymnocarpium dryopteris (L.) Newman – oak fern
- Hammarbya paludosa (L.) Kuntze – bog orchid
- Hierochloe odorata (L.) P. Beauv. – holy grass
- Hordelymus europaeus (L.) Jess. ex Harz – wood barley
- Hottonia palustris L. – water violet
- Hypochaeris glabra L. – smooth cat’s-ear
- Lathyrus palustris L. – marsh pea
- Limonium procerum (C. E. Salmon) Ingr. – tall sea-lavender
- Limosella aquatica L. – mudwort
- Melampyrum sylvaticum L. – small cow-wheat
- Mentha pulegium L. – pennyroyal
- Mertensia maritima (L.) Gray – oysterplant
- Monotropa hypopitys (L.) A. Gray – one-flowered wintergreen
- Neottia nidus-avis (L.) Rich. – bird’s-nest orchid
- Ophrys apifera Huds. – bee orchid
- Orobanche hederae Duby – ivy broomrape
- Orthilia secunda (L.) House – serrated wintergreen
- Pilularia globulifera L. – pillwort
- Polystichum lonchitis (L.) Roth – holly fern
- Primula veris L. – cowslip
- Primula vulgaris Huds. – primrose
- Pseudorchis albida (L.) Á. Löve & D. Löve – small white orchid
- Ranunculus fluitans Lam. – river water-crowfoot
- Rubus chamaemorus L. – cloudberry
- Saussurea alpina (L.) DC. – Alpine sawwort
- Saxifraga aizoides L. – yellow saxifrage
- Saxifraga oppositifolia L. – purple saxifrage
- Silene acaulis (L.) Jacq. – moss campion
- Sisyrinchium bermudiana L. – blue-eyed grass
- Spiranthes romanzoffiana Cham. – Irish lady’s-tresses
- Teesdalia nudicaulis (L.) W. T. Aiton – shepherd’s cress
- Trollius europaeus L. – globeflower
- Viola persicifolia Schreb. – fen violet
▸ Republic of Ireland
In the Republic of Ireland, species are protected under the Republic of Ireland Flora Protection Order 2015.
Ranunculus lingua is common across Great Britain, but much scarcer in Ireland.
Sanguisorba officinalis is limited in the Republic of Ireland to Aughinish Island (VCH8) and Lough Conn (VCH27).
Helianthemum nummularium is only found in Ireland on Ballintra Hill, County Donegal (VCH34).
- Achillea maritima (L.) Ehrend. & Y. P. Guo – cottonweed
- Arabidopsis petraea (L.) D. I. Dorof. – northern rock-cress
- Aristavena setacea (Huds.) F. Albers & Butzin – bog hair-grass
- Asplenium obovatum Viv. – lanceolate spleenwort
- Asplenium septentrionale (L.) Hoffm. – forked spleenwort
- Astragalus danicus Retz. – purple milk-vetch
- Betonica officinalis L. – betony
- Bistorta vivipara (L.) Delarbre – Alpine bistort
- Calamagrostis epigejos (L.) Rothm. – wood small-reed
- Callitriche truncata Guss. – short-leaved water-starwort
- Cardamine impatiens L. – narrow-leaved bitter-cress
- Carex depauperata Curtis ex With. – starved wood-sedge
- Carex divisa Huds. – divided sedge
- Centaurium pulchellum (Sw.) Druce – lesser centaury
- Cephalanthera longifolia (L.) Fritsch – narrow-leaved helleborine
- Colchicum autumnale L. – meadow saffron
- Cryptogramma crispa (L.) R. Br. ex Hook. – parsley fern
- Epilobium alsinifolium Vill. – chickweed willowherb
- Equisetum × moorei Newman – Moore’s horsetail
- Eriophorum gracile W. D. J. Koch ex Roth – slender cottongrass
- Galeopsis angustifolia Ehrh. ex Hoffm. – red hemp-nettle
- Groenlandia densa (L.) Fourr. – opposite-leaved pondweed
- Gymnocarpium robertianum (Hoffm.) Newman – limestone fern
- Hammarbya paludosa (L.) Kuntze – bog orchid
- Helianthemum nummularium (L.) Mill. – common rock-rose
- Hordeum secalinum Schreb. – meadow barley
- Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royle – Esthwaite waterweed
- Hypericum canadense L. – Irish St. John’s wort
- Hypericum hirsutum L. – hairy St. John’s wort
- Inula salicina L. – Irish fleabane
- Lathyrus japonicus Willd. – sea pea
- Limosella aquatica L. – mudwort
- Logfia minima (Sm.) Dumort. – small cudweed
- Lotus subbiflorus Lag. – hairy bird’s-foot trefoil
- Lycopodiella inundata (L.) Holub – marsh clubmoss
- Mentha pulegium L. – pennyroyal
- Mertensia maritima (L.) Gray – oysterplant
- Minuartia recurva (All.) Schinz & Thell. – recurved sandwort
- Misopates orontium (L.) Raf. – weasel’s-snout
- Najas flexilis (Willd.) Rostk. & W. L. E. Schmidt – slender naiad
- Omalotheca sylvatica (L.) Sch. Bip. & F. W. Schultz – heath cudweed
- Papaver hybridum L. – rough poppy
- Pilularia globulifera L. – pillwort
- Pseudorchis albida (L.) á. Löve & D. Löve – small white orchid
- Puccinellia fasciculata (Torr.) E. P. Bicknell – Borrer’s salt-marsh grass
- Pyrola rotundifolia subsp. maritima (Kenyon) E. F. Warb. – round-leaved wintergreen
- Sanguisorba officinalis L. – great burnet
- Saxifraga granulata L. – meadow saxifrage
- Saxifraga hirculus L. – marsh saxifrage
- Saxifraga nivalis L. – Alpine saxifrage
- Saxifraga rosacea subsp. hartii (D. A. Webb) D. A. Webb – Irish saxifrage
- Schoenoplectus triqueter (L.) Palla – triangular club-rush
- Scleranthus annuus L. – annual knawel
- Simethis mattiazzii (Vand.) Sacc. – Kerry lily
- Spiranthes romanzoffiana Cham. – Irish lady’s-tresses
- Trichomanes speciosum Willd. – Killarney fern
- Trifolium glomeratum L. – clustered clover
- Trifolium subterraneum L. – subterranean clover
- Trollius europaeus L. – globeflower
- Vicia orobus DC. – wood bitter-vetch
- Viola hirta L. – hairy violet
- Viola lactea Sm. – pale dog-violet
▸ Isle of Man
In the Isle of Man, species are protected under the Wildlife Act 1990 (amended 2004), with the protected plants listed in Schedule 7. All orchids are covered; the list below includes only those species that have been recorded on the Isle of Man, and none of their hybrids.
On the Isle of Man, Blysmus rufus is only found on the Langness Peninsula and at Dalby.
Echium vulgare is an easterly species in the British Isles, found at only a few sites on the Isle of Man.
Dactylorhiza fuchsii is common in the Isle of Man, but is protected there like all other orchids.
Salix herbacea is the only proper Arctic–Alpine plant in the Isle of Man, where it grows at the summit of Snaefell.
- Adiantum capillus-veneris L. – maidenhair fern
- Agrimonia eupatoria L. – agrimony
- Alisma lanceolatum With. – narrow-leaved water-plantain
- Anacamptis pyramidalis (L.) Rich. – pyramidal orchid
- Artemisia maritima L. – sea wormwood
- Atriplex littoralis L. – grass-leaved orache
- Atriplex portulacoides L. – sea purslane
- Baldellia ranunculoides subsp. ranunculoides (L.) Parl. – lesser water-plantain
- Bidens cernua L. – nodding bur-marigold
- Blysmus rufus (Huds.) Link – saltmarsh flat-sedge
- Calamagrostis epigejos (L.) Rothm. – wood small-reed
- Carex canescens L. – white sedge
- Carex diandra Schrank – lesser tussock-sedge
- Carex dioica L. – dioecious sedge
- Carex pallescens L. – pale sedge
- Carlina vulgaris L. – carline thistle
- Coeloglossum viride (L.) Hartm. – frog orchid
- Coincya monensis (L.) Greuter & Burdet – Isle of Man cabbage
- Crepis paludosa (L.) Moench – marsh hawk’s-beard
- Cryptogramma crispa (L.) R. Br. ex Hook. – parsley fern
- Cuscuta epithymum (L.) L. – dodder
- Dactylorhiza fuchsii (Druce) Soó – common spotted orchid
- Dactylorhiza incarnata (L.) Soó – early marsh orchid
- Dactylorhiza maculata (L.) Soó – heath spotted orchid
- Dactylorhiza purpurella (T. Stephenson & T. A. Stephenson) Soó – northern marsh orchid
- Diphasiastrum alpinum (L.) Holub – Alpine clubmoss
- Drymochloa sylvatica (Pollich) Holub – wood fescue
- Dryopteris aemula (Aiton) Kuntze – hay-scented buckler-fern
- Dryopteris carthusiana (Vill.) H. P. Fuchs – narrow buckler-fern
- Echium vulgare L. – viper’s bugloss
- Eleocharis quinqueflora (Hartmann) O. Schwarz – few-flowered spike-rush
- Eleocharis uniglumis (Link) Schult. – slender spike-rush
- Eleogiton fluitans (L.) Link – floating club-rush
- Euphorbia portlandica L. – Portland spurge
- Gentianella campestris (L.) Börner – field gentian
- Gymnadenia conopsea (L.) R. Br. – chalk fragrant orchid
- Hymenophyllum wilsonii Hook. – Wilson’s filmy-fern
- Hypochaeris glabra L. – smooth cat’s-ear
- Juniperus communis subsp. communis L. – common juniper
- Limonium binervosum s.l. (G. E. Sm.) C. E. Salmon – rock sea-lavender
- Limonium vulgare Mill. – common sea-lavender
- Lycopodium clavatum L. – stag’s-horn clubmoss
- Melampyrum pratense L. – common cow-wheat
- Melica uniflora Retz. – wood melick
- Mentha pulegium L. – pennyroyal
- Mertensia maritima (L.) Gray – oysterplant
- Neotinea maculata (Desf.) Stearn – dense-flowered orchid
- Neottia cordata (L.) Rich. – lesser twayblade
- Neottia ovata (L.) Bluff & Fingerh. – common twayblade
- Nuphar lutea (L.) Sm. – yellow water-lily
- Oenanthe fistulosa L. – tubular water-dropwort
- Oenanthe lachenalii C. C. Gmel. – parsley water-dropwort
- Ophrys apifera Huds. – bee orchid
- Orchis mascula (L.) L. – early purple orchid
- Orobanche rapum-genistae Thuill. – greater broomrape
- Phegopteris connectilis (Michx.) Watt – beech fern
- Pilularia globulifera L. – pillwort
- Pimpinella saxifraga L. – burnet saxifrage
- Pinguicula lusitanica L. – pale butterwort
- Platanthera bifolia (L.) Rich. – lesser butterfly-orchid
- Platanthera chlorantha (Custer) Rchb. – greater butterfly-orchid
- Potamogeton obtusifolius Mert. & W. D. J. Koch – blunt-leaved pondweed
- Potamogeton pectinatus L. – fennel pondweed
- Pyrola minor L. – common wintergreen
- Ranunculus baudotii Godr. – brackish water-crowfoot
- Ranunculus lingua L. – greater spearwort
- Ranunculus sceleratus L. – celery-leaved buttercup
- Rorippa islandica (Oeder ex Gunnerus) Borbás – northern yellow-cress
- Sabulina verna (L.) Rchb. – spring sandwort
- Salix herbacea L. – dwarf willow
- Selaginella selaginoides (L.) P. Beauv. – lesser clubmoss
- Sparganium natans L. – least bur-reed
- Spiranthes spiralis (L.) Chevall. – autumn lady’s-tresses
- Stellaria palustris Ehrh. ex Hoffm. – marsh stitchwort
- Teesdalia nudicaulis (L.) W. T. Aiton – shepherd’s cress
- Trichomanes speciosum Willd. – Killarney fern
- Trifolium arvense L. – hare’s-foot clover
- Trifolium fragiferum L. – strawberry clover
- Trifolium occidentale Coombe – western clover
- Utricularia vulgaris L. – greater bladderwort
- Vaccinium oxycoccos L. – cranberry
- Veronica catenata Pennell – pink water-speedwell
- Veronica montana L. – wood speedwell
- Vicia sylvatica L. – wood vetch
- Viola lutea Huds. – mountain pansy
- Vulpia fasciculata (Forssk.) Fritsch – dune fescue
- Wahlenbergia hederacea (L.) Rchb. – ivy-leaved bellflower
- Zannichellia palustris L. – horned pondweed
- Zostera marina L. – eelgrass
