vs common greasewort

Chrysothrix candelaris compared with Aneura pinguis

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		common greasewort
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Marchantiophyta (liverwort)
Class	Arthoniomycetes (Arthoniomycetes)	Jungermanniopsida (Jungermanniopsida)
Order	Arthoniales (Arthoniales)	Metzgeriales (Metzgeriales)
Family	Chrysotrichaceae	Aneuraceae
Genus	Chrysothrix	Aneura
Species	Chrysothrix candelaris	Aneura pinguis

Conservation Status

LC — Least Concern

common greasewort

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		common greasewort
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (4 countries) and South America (Brazil, Colombia).

common greasewort

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil, Colombia).

Chrysothrix candelaris, commonly known as the gold dust lichen or egg yolk lichen, is a distinctive sorediate crustose lichen formed by the mutualistic association of a fungal partner (Chrysothrix candelaris, class Arthoniomycetes) with green algal photobionts. The lichen is immediately recognizable by its bright chrome-yellow to yellow-orange powdery soredia — granular reproductive propagules — which form a continuous farinose crust on the bark of acidic-barked trees, rock surfaces, and decaying wood in shaded, humid conditions. The vivid yellow color is due to calycin and other xanthone pigments. C. candelaris is widely distributed across Europe, North America, and South America, growing on smooth-barked deciduous and coniferous trees, boulders, and cliff faces in woodland and boreal forest habitats. It is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, reflecting its broad distribution and tolerance of a range of microhabitats. The lichen serves as a bioindicator of old-growth forest conditions and is sometimes used in air quality monitoring, as it is moderately sensitive to sulfur dioxide pollution. C. candelaris reproduces vegetatively through the dispersal of soredia by wind, water, and animals, which carry photobiont and mycobiont cells together.

common greasewort

<em>Aneura pinguis</em>, commonly known as common greasewort, is a liverwort belonging to the genus Aneura within the family Aneuraceae. This cryptogamic plant inhabits ecosystems across Asia, Europe, and North America, thriving in moist or waterlogged environments. Its range encompasses Taiwan in Asia, six European countries, the United States in North America, and Brazil and Colombia in South America, indicating a broad geographic distribution across multiple continents. Common greasewort is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The species typically forms flat, ribbon-like thalli in damp habitats such as stream banks, wet rocks, and boggy ground. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 6 countries:

🇧🇷 Brazil 🇨🇴 Colombia 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden