Acid Frillwort vs Common Frillwort

Fossombronia wondraczekii compared with Fossombronia pusilla

Key Differences

• Acid Frillwort is Endangered while Common Frillwort is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Acid Frillwort	Common Frillwort
Kingdom same	Plantae (растения)	Plantae (растения)
Phylum same	Marchantiophyta (печёночные мхи)	Marchantiophyta (печёночные мхи)
Class same	Jungermanniopsida (юнгерманиевые печёночники)	Jungermanniopsida (юнгерманиевые печёночники)
Order same	Fossombroniales (Fossombroniales)	Fossombroniales (Fossombroniales)
Family same	Fossombroniaceae	Fossombroniaceae
Genus same	Fossombronia	Fossombronia
Species	Fossombronia wondraczekii	Fossombronia pusilla

Evolutionary Relationship

Acid Frillwort and Common Frillwort share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Fossombronia.

Conservation Status

Acid Frillwort

EN — Endangered

Common Frillwort

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Acid Frillwort	Common Frillwort
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Acid Frillwort

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 Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Common Frillwort

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, and Mediterranean forests and woodlands spanning the Indomalayan and Palearctic realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

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

Acid Frillwort

The Acid Frillwort (Fossombronia wondraczekii) is a species in the genus Fossombronia. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Common Frillwort

<em>Fossombronia pusilla</em>, commonly known as the common frillwort, is a small liverwort belonging to the family Fossombroniaceae within the division Marchantiophyta. This non-vascular bryophyte typically grows in moist, disturbed soils, clay banks, and damp pathways across its range in Europe and parts of Asia. The thallus is typically lobed and frilly in appearance, giving the species its common name. <em>Fossombronia pusilla</em> favors habitats with high moisture and reduced competition, often colonizing bare or sparsely vegetated ground following disturbance. Its geographic range spans temperate regions of western and central Europe into Asia, though populations have become increasingly fragmented. The species is currently assessed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, reflecting severe population declines likely driven by habitat loss, land drainage, and agricultural intensification. Biological traits such as lifespan, body size, and diet remain poorly documented for this species, as is common among many small bryophyte taxa. Like other liverworts, <em>Fossombronia pusilla</em> reproduces both sexually through spores and vegetatively. Conservation of this species depends on protecting moist, low-competition microhabitats and reducing disturbance to its specialized substrates.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

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