Any type of wild plant or animal may be included in the list of species protected by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
There are roughly 5,000 species of animals and 28,000 species of plants that are protected by CITES against over-exploitation through international trade. These include leeches to lions and from pine trees to pitcher plants and from bears to whales, and from aloes to corals, frogs, mussels. They are listed in the three CITES Appendices. The species are grouped in the Appendices according to how threatened they are by international trade.
There are 179 parties across the world who follow CITES regulations. This convention regulates the international trade in species threatened with extinction. The three appendices to the Convention list the species for which these regulations currently apply. At present twelve of the Indian medicinal plants are included in the appendices of CITES. They are provided in the following:
Appendix I:
- Saussurea costus
Appendix II:
- Aquilaria malaccensis
- Cycas bedomii
- Dioscorea deltoidea
- Rauvolfia serpentina
- Cibotium barometz
- Podophyllum hexandrum
- Pterocarpus santalinus
- Nardostachys grandiflora
- Nepenthes khasiana
- Picrorhiza kurrooa
- Taxus wallichiana.