Blue star vs Shade Moonwort

Amsonia orientalis compared with Botrychium tenebrosum

Key Differences

• Blue star is Critically Endangered while Shade Moonwort is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blue star	Shade Moonwort
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Tracheophyta
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida)
Order	Gentianales (Gentianales)	Ophioglossales (Ophioglossales)
Family	Apocynaceae	Ophioglossaceae
Genus	Amsonia	Botrychium
Species	Amsonia orientalis	Botrychium tenebrosum

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Blue star

CR — Critically Endangered

Shade Moonwort

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blue star	Shade Moonwort
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blue star

Habitat

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

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.

Blue star

The Blue star (Amsonia orientalis) is a species in the genus Amsonia. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.