Bog Pouchwort
Calypogeia sphagnicola
Bog Pouchwort is a small, delicate liverwort that forms thin, creeping mats with distinctive pouch-like structures (perianths) that house its reproductive organs. This diminutive bryophyte displays pale green to yellowish-green coloration and grows as flattened, leafy shoots typically measuring only a few centimeters in length.
33
Countries
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) John D Reynolds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John D Reynolds
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Marchantiophyta
Class
Jungermanniopsida
Order
Jungermanniales
Family
Calypogeiaceae
Genus
Calypogeia
Bog Pouchwort belongs to the family Calypogeiaceae, order Jungermanniales, within the Jungermanniopsida class.
Species Profile
Bog Pouchwort is a small, delicate liverwort that forms thin, creeping mats with distinctive pouch-like structures (perianths) that house its reproductive organs. This diminutive bryophyte displays pale green to yellowish-green coloration and grows as flattened, leafy shoots typically measuring only a few centimeters in length. As a specialized bog species, it plays a crucial role in peat bog ecosystems by contributing to the complex mat of bryophytes that help maintain the unique hydrology and chemistry of these wetland habitats.
Bog Pouchwort (Calypogeia sphagnicola) is critically endangered primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized bog and wetland environments. The species is highly dependent on pristine sphagnum bog ecosystems, which are increasingly threatened by drainage, peat extraction, agricultural conversion, and climate change-induced drying.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Bog Pouchwort inhabits acidic Sphagnum bogs and wet heathlands, where it grows among cushions of Sphagnum moss in permanently waterlogged, nutrient-poor conditions. This species is typically found in the wettest areas of ombrotrophic bogs, often in shallow pools or along bog margins where the water table remains consistently at or near the surface.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Bog Pouchwort (Calypogeia sphagnicola) is critically endangered primarily due to habitat loss and degradation of its specialized bog and wetland environments. The species is highly dependent on pristine sphagnum bog ecosystems, which are increasingly threatened by drainage, peat extraction, agricultural conversion, and climate change-induced drying.
Climate change and altered hydrology
Habitat loss from bog drainage and conversion
Peat extraction and commercial harvesting
Agricultural intensification and land use change
Pollution and eutrophication of bog systems
Found in 33 Countries
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
Community Sightings
Report a sightingNo community sightings yet. Be the first to report!
Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Bog Pouchwort (Calypogeia sphagnicola). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/bog-pouchwort