Comb Notchwort
Sphenolobus minutus
Comb Notchwort (Sphenolobus minutus) is a diminutive leafy liverwort characterized by its distinctive comb-like leaf margins with regular notches or teeth. This tiny bryophyte forms delicate, creeping mats on moist substrates and plays an important ecological role in microhabitat stabilization and as a component of cryptobiotic communities in specialized environments.
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Stefan Gey, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Stefan Gey
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Marchantiophyta
Class
Jungermanniopsida
Order
Jungermanniales
Family
Anastrophyllaceae
Genus
Sphenolobus
Comb Notchwort belongs to the family Anastrophyllaceae, order Jungermanniales, within the Jungermanniopsida class.
Species Profile
Comb Notchwort (Sphenolobus minutus) is a diminutive leafy liverwort characterized by its distinctive comb-like leaf margins with regular notches or teeth. This tiny bryophyte forms delicate, creeping mats on moist substrates and plays an important ecological role in microhabitat stabilization and as a component of cryptobiotic communities in specialized environments.
Comb Notchwort faces significant threats from habitat loss due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development across its range. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns and temperature shifts that affect the moist microhabitats this bryophyte requires. Pollution and atmospheric changes further compromise the sensitive ecological conditions necessary for its survival.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Comb Notchwort typically occurs in moist, shaded environments including humid forest floors, rotting logs, soil banks, and rock crevices in temperate and boreal regions. This small liverwort requires consistently moist conditions and is often found in association with other bryophytes in undisturbed woodland habitats.
Threats
Climate change impacts on microhabitat conditions
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Agricultural intensification
Air pollution and atmospheric deposition
Urban development pressure
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (VU).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | VUVulnerable | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | VUVulnerable | 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
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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
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Comb Notchwort (Sphenolobus minutus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/comb-notchwort