Greater Featherwort vs Lesser Featherwort

Plagiochila asplenioides compared with Plagiochila porelloides

Key Differences

• Greater Featherwort is Vulnerable while Lesser Featherwort is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Greater Featherwort	Lesser Featherwort
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Marchantiophyta (liverwort)	Marchantiophyta (liverwort)
Class same	Jungermanniopsida (Jungermanniopsida)	Jungermanniopsida (Jungermanniopsida)
Order same	Jungermanniales (Jungermanniales)	Jungermanniales (Jungermanniales)
Family same	Plagiochilaceae	Plagiochilaceae
Genus same	Plagiochila	Plagiochila
Species	Plagiochila asplenioides	Plagiochila porelloides

Evolutionary Relationship

Greater Featherwort and Lesser Featherwort share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Plagiochila.

Conservation Status

Greater Featherwort

VU — Vulnerable

Lesser Featherwort

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Greater Featherwort	Lesser Featherwort
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Greater Featherwort

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Lesser Featherwort

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests within the Indomalayan biogeographic realm.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and North America (United States). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States