Rare Care works in partnership with the Washington Natural Heritage Program (WNHP) to determine the most urgent monitoring priorities each year.

WNHP identifies which species and ecosystems are priorities for conservation effort. Lists of WNHP-designated endangered, threatened, sensitive, possibly extinct or extirpated, review, and watch species can be found in the WNHP Reference Desk (Rare Plants). The WNHP Reference Desk also explains Federal Status definitions and descriptions of other ranking systems. The WNHP published a Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Washington in 2011. View an adapted version online.

State Status

The following list describes State Status values used by the WNHP and the Department of Fish and Wildlife.

• Endangered. This status is assigned to each vascular plant taxon in danger of becoming extinct or extirpated in Washington within the near future if factors contributing to its decline continue. Populations of these taxa are at critically low levels or their habitats have been degraded or depleted to a significant degree.
• Threatened. This status is assigned to each vascular plant taxon that is likely to become endangered in Washington within the near future if factors contributing to its population decline or habitat degradation or loss continue.
• Sensitive. This status is assigned to each vascular plant taxon that is vulnerable or declining and could become endangered or threatened in the state without active management or removal of threats.
• Possibly Extinct or Extirpated from Washington. Based on recent field searches a number of plant taxa are considered to be possibly extinct or extirpated from Washington. Taxa in this group are all high priorities for field investigation. If found, they will be evaluated and assigned to an appropriate status category.
• Review. This category consists of two groups of taxa from which more information is needed to accurately assess their status. Group 1 includes taxa for which more field work is needed to assess their rarity and the degree to which they are threatened. Group 2 includes taxa with unresolved taxonomic questions. The WNHP is actively seeking information (both site-specific and species-specific) on these taxa.
• Watch. This status is assigned to each vascular plant taxon that is more abundant and/or less threatened in Washington than previously assumed. Although the WNHP does not focus on these taxa, information about them is still gathered and stored in our information system.

Images of Selected Rare Washington Taxa

Click on thumbnail to view common name and larger image or to scroll through gallery.
(status according to WNHP September 2014)