Fern-grass
Catapodium rigidum
Catapodium rigidum, ferngrass, is a species of annual grass in the family Poaceae, distributed around the Mediterranean and the Middle East. It has been widely introduced throughout drier parts of the world, including parts of North America, South America, South Africa, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catapodium_rigidum
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Order
Poales
Family
Poaceae
Genus
Catapodium
Fern-grass belongs to the family Poaceae, order Poales, within the Liliopsida class.
Species Profile
Catapodium rigidum, ferngrass, is a species of annual grass in the family Poaceae, distributed around the Mediterranean and the Middle East. It has been widely introduced throughout drier parts of the world, including parts of North America, South America, South Africa, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. Individuals can reach 20 cm (8 in).
Fern-grass (Catapodium rigidum) faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss from coastal development, agricultural intensification, and urban expansion in its Mediterranean range. The species' specialized requirements for dry, rocky coastal habitats make it particularly vulnerable to human disturbance and climate change impacts.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Fern-grass (Catapodium rigidum) faces severe decline primarily due to habitat loss from coastal development, agricultural intensification, and urban expansion in its Mediterranean range. The species' specialized requirements for dry, rocky coastal habitats make it particularly vulnerable to human disturbance and climate change impacts.
Agricultural intensification and land conversion
Coastal development and urbanization
Climate change and altered precipitation patterns
Habitat fragmentation
Recreational pressure and trampling
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). Fern-grass (Catapodium rigidum). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/fern-grass