Ciliated German Pellitory vs Eurasian Wigeon

Anacyclus ciliatus compared with Mareca penelope

Key Differences

• Ciliated German Pellitory is Least Concern while Eurasian Wigeon is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Ciliated German Pellitory	Eurasian Wigeon
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)	Anseriformes (Anseriformes)
Family	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)	Anatidae
Genus	Anacyclus	Mareca
Species	Anacyclus ciliatus	Mareca penelope

Conservation Status

Ciliated German Pellitory

LC — Least Concern

Eurasian Wigeon

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Ciliated German Pellitory	Eurasian Wigeon
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Ciliated German Pellitory

Habitat

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

Eurasian Wigeon

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and North America (United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Eurasian Wigeon

Eurasian Wigeon (Mareca penelope) is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List. Facing a high risk of endangerment in the wild, with declining populations and increasing habitat pressure.