Fragrant Crestwort
Lophocolea fragrans
Fragrant Crestwort (Lophocolea fragrans) is a small leafy liverwort distinguished by its distinctive aromatic scent when crushed and its characteristic crest-like leaf lobes that give the species its common name. This bryophyte forms delicate, pale green mats or patches on its substrate and plays an important ecological role in nutrient cycling and moisture retention in specialized microhabitats.
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Marchantiophyta
Class
Jungermanniopsida
Order
Jungermanniales
Family
Lophocoleaceae
Genus
Lophocolea
Fragrant Crestwort belongs to the family Lophocoleaceae, order Jungermanniales, within the Jungermanniopsida class.
Species Profile
Fragrant Crestwort (Lophocolea fragrans) is a small leafy liverwort distinguished by its distinctive aromatic scent when crushed and its characteristic crest-like leaf lobes that give the species its common name. This bryophyte forms delicate, pale green mats or patches on its substrate and plays an important ecological role in nutrient cycling and moisture retention in specialized microhabitats.
Fragrant Crestwort (Lophocolea fragrans) is critically endangered due to its extremely limited distribution and vulnerability to habitat degradation. This bryophyte species faces severe threats from human activities that alter its specialized microhabitat requirements, particularly in areas where it occurs on specific substrate types or in unique ecological niches.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Fragrant Crestwort grows on decaying logs, tree bases, and humid rock crevices in old-growth and mature secondary forests, particularly favoring sites with consistent moisture and filtered light. The species requires stable microclimatic conditions with high humidity and protection from direct sunlight and wind exposure.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Fragrant Crestwort (Lophocolea fragrans) is critically endangered due to its extremely limited distribution and vulnerability to habitat degradation. This bryophyte species faces severe threats from human activities that alter its specialized microhabitat requirements, particularly in areas where it occurs on specific substrate types or in unique ecological niches.
Extremely small population size
Habitat loss and degradation
Human disturbance and trampling
Air pollution and atmospheric deposition
Climate change and altered moisture regimes
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | 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). Fragrant Crestwort (Lophocolea fragrans). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/fragrant-crestwort