Broad-leaved Cottongrass
Eriophorum latifolium
Eriophorum latifolium, commonly known as broad-leaved bog-cotton and broad leaved cotton grass is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Cyperaceae.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eriophorum_latifolium
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Order
Poales
Family
Cyperaceae
Genus
Eriophorum
Broad-leaved Cottongrass belongs to the family Cyperaceae, order Poales, within the Liliopsida class.
Species Profile
Eriophorum latifolium, commonly known as broad-leaved bog-cotton and broad leaved cotton grass is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Cyperaceae.
Broad-leaved Cottongrass is primarily threatened by habitat loss and degradation due to drainage and conversion of wetlands for agriculture and development. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the hydrology and temperature regimes of the specialized bog and fen habitats this species requires.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Eriophorum latifolium is native to Europe. Some authorities report that its range extends into Asia as far as North Korea, while others claim it is strictly a European species not found east of the Urals.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Broad-leaved Cottongrass is primarily threatened by habitat loss and degradation due to drainage and conversion of wetlands for agriculture and development. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering the hydrology and temperature regimes of the specialized bog and fen habitats this species requires.
Peat extraction and mining
Wetland drainage for agriculture
Climate change altering wetland hydrology
Eutrophication from agricultural runoff
Urban and infrastructure development
Community Sightings
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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
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Broad-leaved Cottongrass (Eriophorum latifolium). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/broad-leaved-cottongrass