Andersson's arctic moss vs Common Pellia

Arctoa anderssonii compared with Pellia epiphylla

Key Differences

• Andersson's arctic moss is Endangered while Common Pellia is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Andersson's arctic moss	Common Pellia
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Bryophyta	Marchantiophyta (liverwort)
Class	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)	Jungermanniopsida (Jungermanniopsida)
Order	Dicranales (Dicranales)	Pelliales (Pelliales)
Family	Rhabdoweisiaceae	Pelliaceae
Genus	Arctoa	Pellia
Species	Arctoa anderssonii	Pellia epiphylla

Evolutionary Relationship

Andersson's arctic moss and Common Pellia share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Plantae. (Plants)

Conservation Status

Andersson's arctic moss

EN — Endangered

Common Pellia

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Andersson's arctic moss	Common Pellia
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Andersson's arctic moss

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

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

Common Pellia

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (7 countries), and North America (United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Andersson's arctic moss

The Andersson's arctic moss (Arctoa anderssonii) is a species in the genus Arctoa. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Common Pellia

<em>Pellia epiphylla</em>, known as the common pellia, is a thallose liverwort in the family Pelliaceae and one of the most frequently encountered bryophytes in temperate regions. It grows in dense, dark-green mats typically found along stream banks, wet rock faces, moist woodland floors, and other persistently damp habitats where it can absorb water directly through its undifferentiated thallus. The species is distributed across Europe, including Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway, and Portugal, as well as parts of Asia including Taiwan and North America including the United States, reflecting a broadly circumboreal range. <em>Pellia epiphylla</em> reproduces both sexually, producing distinctive stalked spore capsules in spring, and vegetatively through fragmentation. It is currently assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, indicating that populations face moderate risk due to habitat loss and degradation associated with wetland drainage, water pollution, and land-use change. Biological traits such as average lifespan, thallus dimensions, and detailed ecological requirements remain poorly documented compared to vascular plants. The species is ecologically important as a pioneer on disturbed moist soils and contributes to moisture retention in riparian ecosystems.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden