common greasewort vs Common Silver Hairgrass

Aneura pinguis compared with Aira caryophyllea

Key Differences

• common greasewort is Least Concern while Common Silver Hairgrass is Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	common greasewort	Common Silver Hairgrass
Kingdom same	Plantae (bitki)	Plantae (bitki)
Phylum	Marchantiophyta (Ciğer otları)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Jungermanniopsida (Jungermanniopsida)	Liliopsida (Monocots)
Order	Metzgeriales (Metzgeriales)	Poales (Grasses)
Family	Aneuraceae	Poaceae (Grass Family)
Genus	Aneura	Aira
Species	Aneura pinguis	Aira caryophyllea

Evolutionary Relationship

common greasewort and Common Silver Hairgrass share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Plantae. (bitki)

Conservation Status

common greasewort

LC — Least Concern

Common Silver Hairgrass

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	common greasewort	Common Silver Hairgrass
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

common greasewort

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil, Colombia).

Common Silver Hairgrass

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 11 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Cameroon), Asia (Japan, South Korea), Europe (6 countries), North America (4 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (4 countries). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

common greasewort

<em>Aneura pinguis</em>, commonly known as common greasewort, is a liverwort belonging to the genus Aneura within the family Aneuraceae. This cryptogamic plant inhabits ecosystems across Asia, Europe, and North America, thriving in moist or waterlogged environments. Its range encompasses Taiwan in Asia, six European countries, the United States in North America, and Brazil and Colombia in South America, indicating a broad geographic distribution across multiple continents. Common greasewort is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The species typically forms flat, ribbon-like thalli in damp habitats such as stream banks, wet rocks, and boggy ground. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Common Silver Hairgrass

<em>Aira caryophyllea</em>, commonly known as Common Silver Hairgrass, is a slender annual grass belonging to the family Poaceae within the order Poales. This delicate grass is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, reflecting significant conservation concern despite its historically broad distribution. It is typically found across a remarkable diversity of biome types, including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, grasslands, savannas, and flooded habitats, demonstrating notable ecological versatility. Its geographic range spans multiple continents, with documented populations in Africa (Cameroon), Asia (Japan, South Korea), Europe, North America, Australia, and South America. As an annual grass, it completes its life cycle within a single growing season, reproducing via wind-dispersed seeds. The inflorescence typically bears silvery, shimmering spikelets that give the species its common name. Biological traits such as average lifespan, body dimensions, and dietary specifics follow typical patterns for annual grasses — drawing nutrients from soil through root absorption rather than consuming other organisms. The endangered status suggests populations may be declining due to habitat loss, land-use change, or invasive species pressure across parts of its range.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 7 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇴 Colombia 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇵🇹 Portugal 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States