Alpine Silk-moss vs round silk moss

Plagiothecium platyphyllum compared with Plagiothecium cavifolium

Key Differences

• Alpine Silk-moss is Near Threatened while round silk moss is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alpine Silk-moss	round silk moss
Kingdom same	Plantae (plantas)	Plantae (plantas)
Phylum same	Bryophyta	Bryophyta
Class same	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)
Order same	Hypnales (Hypnales)	Hypnales (Hypnales)
Family same	Plagiotheciaceae	Plagiotheciaceae
Genus same	Plagiothecium	Plagiothecium
Species	Plagiothecium platyphyllum	Plagiothecium cavifolium

Evolutionary Relationship

Alpine Silk-moss and round silk moss share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Plagiothecium.

Conservation Status

Alpine Silk-moss

NT — Near Threatened

round silk moss

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alpine Silk-moss	round silk moss
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alpine Silk-moss

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

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

round silk moss

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.

Alpine Silk-moss

The Alpine Silk-moss (Plagiothecium platyphyllum) is a species in the genus Plagiothecium. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region. Distributed across Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇱🇺 Luxembourg 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden