Cerastium blyttii
Local name: Céraiste de Blytt
Céraiste de Blytt (Cerastium blyttii) is a small, cushion-forming perennial herb in the carnation family, characterized by its dense clusters of white, five-petaled flowers and narrow, greyish-green leaves covered in fine hairs. This Arctic-alpine specialist plays a crucial role in stabilizing soil and providing nectar resources in harsh, high-elevation environments where few other flowering plants can survive.
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Family
Caryophyllaceae
Genus
Cerastium
Cerastium blyttii belongs to the family Caryophyllaceae, order Caryophyllales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Céraiste de Blytt (Cerastium blyttii) is a small, cushion-forming perennial herb in the carnation family, characterized by its dense clusters of white, five-petaled flowers and narrow, greyish-green leaves covered in fine hairs. This Arctic-alpine specialist plays a crucial role in stabilizing soil and providing nectar resources in harsh, high-elevation environments where few other flowering plants can survive.
Cerastium blyttii faces severe threats primarily from habitat loss and degradation due to human activities in its limited alpine and subalpine range. Climate change poses an additional significant threat by altering the specialized high-altitude ecosystems this species depends on. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local extinctions from these combined pressures.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Cerastium blyttii inhabits exposed rocky ledges, scree slopes, and alpine fellfields at high elevations, typically above 1,500 meters. It thrives in well-drained, mineral-rich soils with minimal organic matter, often growing in crevices and among loose stones where snow persists late into the growing season.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Cerastium blyttii faces severe threats primarily from habitat loss and degradation due to human activities in its limited alpine and subalpine range. Climate change poses an additional significant threat by altering the specialized high-altitude ecosystems this species depends on. The species' extremely restricted distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to local extinctions from these combined pressures.
Climate change and warming temperatures
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Human disturbance and development
Invasive species competition
Small population size and genetic bottlenecks
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). Cerastium blyttii (Cerastium blyttii). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/ceraiste-de-blytt