Green Broom Moss
Dicranum viride
Green Broom Moss (Dicranum viride) is a distinctive bryophyte characterized by its bright green, glossy leaves that form dense cushions or mats on tree bark. This epiphytic moss plays a crucial ecological role in forest ecosystems by providing microhabitat for invertebrates, retaining moisture, and contributing to nutrient cycling in woodland canopies.
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Bryophyta
Class
Bryopsida
Order
Dicranales
Family
Dicranaceae
Genus
Dicranum
Green Broom Moss belongs to the family Dicranaceae, order Dicranales, within the Bryopsida class.
Species Profile
Green Broom Moss (Dicranum viride) is a distinctive bryophyte characterized by its bright green, glossy leaves that form dense cushions or mats on tree bark. This epiphytic moss plays a crucial ecological role in forest ecosystems by providing microhabitat for invertebrates, retaining moisture, and contributing to nutrient cycling in woodland canopies.
Green Broom Moss is declining primarily due to habitat loss and degradation from deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development that destroys the old-growth forests it requires. Air pollution and climate change further threaten this species by altering the specific microclimate conditions necessary for its survival on tree bark.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Green Broom Moss grows exclusively on the smooth bark of mature deciduous trees, particularly beech, oak, and maple, in humid old-growth and semi-natural forests. It typically colonizes the lower trunk sections where bark pH and moisture conditions are optimal for establishment and growth.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Green Broom Moss is declining primarily due to habitat loss and degradation from deforestation, agricultural expansion, and urban development that destroys the old-growth forests it requires. Air pollution and climate change further threaten this species by altering the specific microclimate conditions necessary for its survival on tree bark.
Agricultural expansion
Deforestation and habitat loss
Air pollution and acid rain
Climate change and altered precipitation patterns
Urban development
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (EN).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | ENEndangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | ENEndangered | 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). Green Broom Moss (Dicranum viride). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/green-broom-moss