24 February 2007

Species of the Week, 25 Feb 2007

Pallid Squill (Scilla morrisii)


©C. Christodoulou, MIPSG-SSC-IUCN

The Pallid Squill has a range of about two kilometers squared. That's tiny. Within this range, there are three isolated subpopulations. In total, there are less than 600 individuals. They grow on the island of Cyprus, in the Mediterranean. The main threat to this species is habitat loss due to road construction, logging and the expansion of farmland. The Pallid Squill is one of the IUCN's Top 50 Plants Campaign, aimed at saving some of the species at the highest risk of extinction.

The Pallid Squill, along with other plants in this genus are known to be poisonous, causing digestive disorders.

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