Aconite vs Shade Moonwort

Aconitum napellus compared with Botrychium tenebrosum

Key Differences

• Aconite is Critically Endangered while Shade Moonwort is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Aconite	Shade Moonwort
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Tracheophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida)
Order	Ranunculales (Ranunculales)	Ophioglossales (Ophioglossales)
Family	Ranunculaceae	Ophioglossaceae
Genus	Aconitum	Botrychium
Species	Aconitum napellus	Botrychium tenebrosum

Evolutionary Relationship

Aconite and Shade Moonwort share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Plantae. (Plants)

Conservation Status

Aconite

CR — Critically Endangered

Shade Moonwort

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Aconite	Shade Moonwort
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Aconite

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Europe (12 countries) and North America (Canada, United States). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Shade Moonwort

Habitat

Inhabits boreal forests and taiga within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and United States. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Aconite

The Aconite (Aconitum napellus) is a species in the genus Aconitum. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also fo.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇨🇦 Canada 🇮🇸 Iceland 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States