African elephant vs Common Cinquefoil

Loxodonta africana compared with Potentilla simplex

Key Differences

African elephant is Vulnerable while Common Cinquefoil is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	African elephant	Common Cinquefoil
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (plantas)
Phylum	Chordata (cordados)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Mammalia (mamíferos)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Proboscidea (Elephants)	Rosales (Roses & Allies)
Family	Elephantidae (Elephants)	Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Genus	Loxodonta (African Elephants)	Potentilla
Species	Loxodonta africana	Potentilla simplex

Conservation Status

African elephant

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~415.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Common Cinquefoil

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	African elephant	Common Cinquefoil
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	65 years	—
Average Length	6.0 m	—
Average Weight	6.0 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

African elephant

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Kenya. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Cinquefoil

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Canada, France, and United States.

African elephant

O elefante africano, o maior animal terrestre da Terra, pode atingir 7.000 kg e habita savanas, florestas e zonas húmidas da África subsaariana. Com estruturas sociais complexas lideradas por matriarcas, comunica através de infrassons, rugidos e contacto físico. Como engenheiro do ecossistema, modela o habitat arrancando árvores, escavando poços de água e dispersando sementes. Está classificado como Vulnerável (VU), com populações em declínio devido à caça furtiva de marfim e à perda de habitat.

Common Cinquefoil

<em>Potentilla simplex</em>, commonly known as the common cinquefoil, is a plant species found in Canada, France, and the United States. It typically occupies diverse terrestrial habitats, often colonizing open woodlands, meadows, roadsides, and disturbed areas in temperate regions of North America and Europe. Common cinquefoil belongs to the genus <em>Potentilla</em> within the family Rosaceae. It is a low-growing, trailing perennial herb that spreads by stolons, producing characteristic five-petaled yellow flowers and palmately compound leaves that are diagnostic of the genus. The species often thrives in well-drained soils with moderate moisture and is a common component of open, semi-shaded plant communities. Biological traits such as average lifespan, plant height, and mass of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The species has not yet been formally evaluated by the IUCN, and its global conservation status therefore remains undetermined. Its presence across multiple continents and ability to colonize a range of disturbed and natural habitats suggests resilience and broad ecological tolerance.