Asterisk Lichen vs Ciliated German Pellitory

Arthonia radiata compared with Anacyclus ciliatus

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Asterisk Lichen	Ciliated German Pellitory
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Arthoniomycetes (Arthoniomycetes)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Arthoniales (Arthoniales)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Arthoniaceae	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Arthonia	Anacyclus
Species	Arthonia radiata	Anacyclus ciliatus

Conservation Status

Asterisk Lichen

LC — Least Concern

Ciliated German Pellitory

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Asterisk Lichen	Ciliated German Pellitory
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Asterisk Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia).

Ciliated German Pellitory

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Asterisk Lichen

The Asterisk Lichen (Arthonia radiata) is a species in the genus Arthonia. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe and North America and South America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region. Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia).

Ciliated German Pellitory

Ciliated German pellitory (Anacyclus ciliatus) is an annual or short-lived perennial herb in the family Asteraceae, native to the Mediterranean Basin. It produces prostrate to ascending stems bearing finely divided, feathery leaves and daisy-like flower heads with white ray florets and a yellow disc. The species grows in dry, open habitats such as rocky slopes, garrigue, abandoned fields, roadsides, and coastal scrub, preferring calcareous soils with low fertility and good drainage. Its distribution spans southern Europe, North Africa, and the Near East, encompassing the core of the Mediterranean climatic zone. Anacyclus ciliatus is classified as Least Concern, with widespread populations across its native range. The genus Anacyclus includes several species with similar morphology, and its taxonomy has been subject to revision. Like many Mediterranean annuals, ciliated German pellitory completes its life cycle during the cool, wet winter and spring months, producing abundant seed before the summer drought. It is a component of traditional Mediterranean dry grassland and rocky vegetation communities. Some Anacyclus species have been investigated for medicinal properties, particularly root extracts showing anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity. Conservation of Mediterranean garrigue and dry grassland habitats benefits this species alongside many other endemic plants of the region.