Bristlelike Quillwort vs coastal quillwort

Isoetes echinospora compared with Isoetes maritima

Key Differences

• Bristlelike Quillwort is Critically Endangered while coastal quillwort is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bristlelike Quillwort	coastal quillwort
Kingdom same	Plantae (พืช)	Plantae (พืช)
Phylum same	Tracheophyta	Tracheophyta
Class same	Lycopodiopsida (Lycopodiopsida)	Lycopodiopsida (Lycopodiopsida)
Order same	Isoetales (Isoetales)	Isoetales (Isoetales)
Family same	Isoetaceae	Isoetaceae
Genus same	Isoetes	Isoetes
Species	Isoetes echinospora	Isoetes maritima

Evolutionary Relationship

Bristlelike Quillwort and coastal quillwort share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Isoetes.

Conservation Status

Bristlelike Quillwort

CR — Critically Endangered

coastal quillwort

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bristlelike Quillwort	coastal quillwort
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bristlelike Quillwort

Habitat

Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and 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 (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.

coastal quillwort

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Canada and Norway.

Bristlelike Quillwort

The Bristlelike Quillwort (Isoetes echinospora) is a species in the genus Isoetes. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and boreal forests and taiga within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

coastal quillwort

Coastal quillwort (Isoetes maritima) is an aquatic or semi-aquatic lycophyte in the family Isoetaceae, native to Atlantic coastal regions of North America and western Europe, including eastern Canada, the northeastern United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France. It grows in shallow brackish or slightly saline pools, coastal lagoons, rock crevices, and wet hollows that experience seasonal drying. Like all Isoetes species, it has quill-like leaves arising from a corm-like base and reproduces via spores produced in sporangia embedded at leaf bases. Coastal quillwort occupies a specialised niche at the intersection of marine and freshwater habitats, tolerating fluctuating salinity levels. Its populations are often small and localised, making them vulnerable to habitat modification, drainage, and coastal development. The IUCN assesses coastal quillwort as Least Concern overall, but many regional populations are protected or listed as threatened. As an ancient lineage of vascular plants, Isoetes species represent living relicts of the Carboniferous-era lycopsid forests and hold significant evolutionary interest for botanists.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway