Brook Stippleback Lichen vs Coastal Ragweed

Dermatocarpon luridum compared with Ambrosia hispida

Key Differences

Brook Stippleback Lichen is Critically Endangered while Coastal Ragweed is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Brook Stippleback Lichen	Coastal Ragweed
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Eurotiomycetes (Eurotiomycetes)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Verrucariales (Verrucariales)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Verrucariaceae	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Dermatocarpon	Ambrosia
Species	Dermatocarpon luridum	Ambrosia hispida

Conservation Status

Brook Stippleback Lichen

CR — Critically Endangered

Coastal Ragweed

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Brook Stippleback Lichen	Coastal Ragweed
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Brook Stippleback Lichen

Habitat

Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

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

Coastal Ragweed

Habitat

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

Range

Found in Cuba.

Brook Stippleback Lichen

The Brook Stippleback Lichen (Dermatocarpon luridum) is a species in the genus Dermatocarpon. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Coastal Ragweed

Coastal ragweed (Ambrosia hispida) is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae, native to the coastal dunes, sandy beaches, and cays of Cuba, the Bahamas, and the wider Caribbean region. It grows in pioneer beach and dune vegetation, often forming spreading colonies that help stabilise loose coastal sands. Like other members of the genus Ambrosia, it bears inconspicuous greenish-white flowers arranged in racemes; male flower heads produce wind-dispersed pollen that can trigger allergic rhinitis in sensitive individuals. The deeply lobed, hispid leaves are adapted to reflect intense solar radiation and tolerate salt spray. Coastal ragweed plays an ecological role in early dune succession, binding sand and enabling other plant species to establish. The genus is widespread globally, with several Ambrosia species considered noxious weeds in agricultural settings, though Ambrosia hispida is restricted to its native Caribbean coastal range. The IUCN assesses it as Least Concern, reflecting adequate population size across its Caribbean coastal distribution. Pressure from coastal development and tourism infrastructure poses a localised threat to dune communities it inhabits.