Fern-grass
EN

Fern-grass

Catapodium rigidum

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catapodium_rigidum

Overview

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.

Threat summary

Habitat

TERRESTRIAL· majorTERRESTRIAL· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Poaceae

CR

Ekmanochloa subaphylla

Unknown
CR

Arthrostylidium distichum

Unknown
CR

Aristida fragilis

Unknown
VU

Small Sweet-grass

Glyceria declinata

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Fern-grass classified as Endangered?
Fern-grass is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. 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.
Where does Fern-grass live?
Fern-grass occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Fern-grass?
The main threats to Fern-grass are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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