Killarney Featherwort
CR

Killarney Featherwort

Plagiochila bifaria

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Photo: (c) petit_bonnier, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

Overview

Killarney Featherwort is a rare leafy liverwort with distinctive deeply bifurcated (two-lobed) leaves that give it a delicate, feathery appearance. This small bryophyte forms thin, creeping mats on moist surfaces and plays an important role in specialized microhabitat ecosystems by helping retain moisture and providing shelter for microscopic invertebrates.

Killarney Featherwort (Plagiochila bifaria) is critically endangered due to its extremely limited distribution and vulnerability to habitat degradation. This rare bryophyte is restricted to very specific microhabitat conditions in Ireland and faces ongoing threats from environmental changes and human disturbance. Climate change and altered precipitation patterns pose additional risks to its specialized ecological requirements.

Threat summary

Habitat

Killarney Featherwort grows exclusively on damp, shaded rock faces and cliff crevices in areas with consistent moisture from seepage or spray. It requires very specific microclimatic conditions found in sheltered gorges and ravines with stable humidity and protection from direct sunlight.

Other threatened species in Plagiochilaceae

VU

Greater Featherwort

Plagiochila asplenioides

Unknown
Prickly FeatherwortCR

Prickly Featherwort

Plagiochila spinulosa

Unknown
Lesser FeatherwortCR

Lesser Featherwort

Plagiochila porelloides

Unknown
Spotty FeatherwortCR

Spotty Featherwort

Plagiochila punctata

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Killarney Featherwort classified as Critically Endangered?
Killarney Featherwort is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Killarney Featherwort (Plagiochila bifaria) is critically endangered due to its extremely limited distribution and vulnerability to habitat degradation. This rare bryophyte is restricted to very specific microhabitat conditions in Ireland and faces ongoing threats from environmental changes and human disturbance. Climate change and altered precipitation patterns pose additional risks to its specialized ecological requirements.
Where does Killarney Featherwort live?
Killarney Featherwort 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 Killarney Featherwort?
The main threats to Killarney Featherwort 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.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.