Endangered species

The sedge Pycreus okavangensis is on the Red Data List for Botswana.

"Endangered" is a category of conservation status, used to describe a population of organisms that faces a very high risk of extinction in the near future. Consensus and assessments of species' conservation status are achieved through the IUCN Red Data Lists

The most obvious candidates for ex situ conservation are those plant species that have been found to be under severe threat in the wild. Working with in-country collaborators and local conservation organisations, the MSBP is identifying endangered populations as a matter of priority wherever it is working, aiming to collect their germplasm before it is too late. Where plant species are present in small numbers, strict sampling procedures are adhered to, making sure that seed collection does not endanger the remainder of the wild population.