On August 7, 2021, the State Council approved the new version of the List of National Key Protected Wild Plants (hereinafter referred to as the List). On September 7, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs jointly issued Announcement No. 15 of 2021, officially releasing the List to the society. The introduction of the List is conducive to protect endangered wild plants, maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance, and is an important initiative of China to fulfill ecological civilization and to build a beautiful China, actively (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1 The webpage screenshot of the joint announcement for Announcement No. 15 of 2021 by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

The newest released List includes the following four species of Gesneriaceae (Table 1) :

To Compare the first version List published in 1999, Hemiboea ovalifolia (W.T.Wang) A.Weber & Mich.Möller (before the revision, it was the type species of the Metabriggsia, namely M. ovalifolia W.T. Wang) has been excluded from the List now.

In fact, after the careful communications and discussions with those Gesneriaceae experts from major institutes, botanical gardens and universities in China, the National Gesneriaceae Germplasm Resource Bank of GXIB, the Gesneriad Committee of China Wild Plant Conservation Association, and the Gesneriaceae Conservation Center of China (all relying on the Guangxi Institute of Botany) proposed a document on "National Key Wild Plant Protection List – the recommended list of Gesneriaceae ". However, for various reasons, this document and suggestion was not adopted.

        In fact, according to the IUCN's endangerment criteria, a large proportion of the domestic Gesneriaceae are in serious survival crisis, especially many specialized taxa which depend on microhabitats. We hope that in the future, the Gesneriaceae will be taken seriously by scholars and the public, so that they can be protected and prepared for the sustainable use of these precious germplasm resources for future generations.

        Let's get a glimpse of these four species of the Gesneriaceae!

Fig. 2 Oreocharis cotinifolia (W.T.Wang) Mich.Möller & A.Weber

Fig. 3 Petrocosmea qinlingensis W.T. Wang

Fig. 4 Primulina tabacum Hance

Fig. 5 Oreocharis esquirolii H. Léveillé

According to the degree of rarity and endangerment of the plants, these four species of Gesneriaceae are classified as level I & II of the national key protected plants, and they will be prohibited for anyone to collect them, otherwise the people will be punished for imprisonment up to three years, detention or control, and payment of a fine. We hope that the publication of the List can raise people's concern about the endangered status of the Gesneriaceae plants, and strengthen public awareness for Gesneriaceae’s protection.