capillary thread moss vs Coastal Ragweed

Meesia uliginosa compared with Ambrosia hispida

Key Differences

• capillary thread moss is Extinct while Coastal Ragweed is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	capillary thread moss	Coastal Ragweed
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Bryophyta	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Splachnales (Splachnales)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Meesiaceae	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Meesia	Ambrosia
Species	Meesia uliginosa	Ambrosia hispida

Evolutionary Relationship

capillary thread moss and Coastal Ragweed share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Plantae. (Plants)

Conservation Status

capillary thread moss

EX — Extinct

Coastal Ragweed

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	capillary thread moss	Coastal Ragweed
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

capillary thread moss

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and United States.

Coastal Ragweed

Habitat

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

Range

Found in Cuba.

capillary thread moss

The Capillary Thread Moss (Meesia uliginosa) is a species in the genus Meesia. It is currently classified as Extinct (EX) on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

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.