Spiked Rampion (Phyteuma spicatum)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Vascular plant > flowering plant > Herbaceous plant |
| Red List Status: | Endangered (Not Relevant) [EN(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | Included in the baseline Red List Index for England (Wilkins, Wilson & Brown, 2022) |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Phyteuma spicatum |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | L. |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | in Stroh et al., 2014 |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Phyteuma spicatum was assessed as EN in England due to its restriction to 8 sites and a total populations size of c.200 plants (Stroh et al., 2014). Most recent data, however, show that it survives in 10 and the total population size is nearer to 400. It has also been introduced to 4 sites as part of a recovery project being coordinated by the Species Recovery Trust. |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | There is an existing recovery project run by the Species Recovery Trust who are monitoring sites, organising management (including fencing), augmenting existing and creating new populations and carrying out research into seed germination. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | No |
| Justification: | This is species is too restricted to benefit from wider landscape scale projects |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Medium-high |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Structured - sufficient |
| Species Comments: |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Manage roadside and woodland sites to reduce competition from bracken and shading from trees and shrubs, and plants are protected from grazing where deer are an issue.
Action targets: 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales
Action type: Habitat management
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 10 sites
High priority sites: Tinker's Lane, St Dunstans Farm, Rushlake Green
Comments:
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Reintroductions to suitable sites close the existing sites where conditions are suitable (further introductions are already planned by the Species Recovery Trust).
Action targets: 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales
Action type: (Re-)introduction
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: ≤ 10 sites
High priority sites: As per project
Comments:
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Undertake research into germination, seedling establishment, and longevity.
Action targets: 4. Autecology and pressures understood
Action type: Scientific research
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: Unknown
High priority sites: Ex situ
Comments: This work is already being carried out by the Species Recovery Trust
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.