Ciliated German Pellitory vs Fierce Orbweaver

Anacyclus ciliatus compared with Araneus saevus

Key Differences

• Ciliated German Pellitory is Least Concern while Fierce Orbweaver is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Ciliated German Pellitory	Fierce Orbweaver
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)	Araneae (Araneae)
Family	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)	Araneidae
Genus	Anacyclus	Araneus
Species	Anacyclus ciliatus	Araneus saevus

Conservation Status

Ciliated German Pellitory

LC — Least Concern

Fierce Orbweaver

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Ciliated German Pellitory	Fierce Orbweaver
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.

Fierce Orbweaver

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Distributed across Canada, Norway, Sweden, and United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.