common greasewort vs Least Moonwort

Aneura pinguis compared with Botrychium simplex

Key Differences

• common greasewort is Least Concern while Least Moonwort is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	common greasewort	Least Moonwort
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Marchantiophyta (liverwort)	Tracheophyta
Class	Jungermanniopsida (Jungermanniopsida)	Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida)
Order	Metzgeriales (Metzgeriales)	Ophioglossales (Ophioglossales)
Family	Aneuraceae	Ophioglossaceae
Genus	Aneura	Botrychium
Species	Aneura pinguis	Botrychium simplex

Evolutionary Relationship

common greasewort and Least Moonwort share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Plantae. (Plants)

Conservation Status

common greasewort

LC — Least Concern

Least Moonwort

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

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).

Least Moonwort

Habitat

Inhabits boreal forests and taiga within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found across Europe (8 countries) and North America (United States). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States