Moss Fern
CR

Moss Fern

Hecistopteris pumila

Unknown

Photo: Photo: (c) Rich Hoyer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Rich Hoyer

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

The Moss Fern faces severe threats from habitat destruction and fragmentation of its specialized tropical forest environments. Its extremely limited distribution and specific microhabitat requirements make populations highly vulnerable to environmental changes and human disturbance. Climate change poses additional risks by altering the humid conditions essential for this species' survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

Moss Fern occurs in humid tropical forests, typically growing as an epiphyte on tree trunks and rocks in shaded, moisture-rich microenvironments. The species requires consistently high humidity and is found in both lowland and montane forest ecosystems where it forms part of the bryophyte and small fern communities.

Other threatened species in Pteridaceae

Antrophyon de Bory, Langue de boeuf, Langue de vacheCR

Antrophyon de Bory, Langue de boeuf, Langue de vache

Antrophyopsis boryana

Unknown
CR

Adiantopsis parvisegmenta

Unknown
CR

Adiantopsis asplenioides

Unknown
VU

Adiantopsis rupicola

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Moss Fern classified as Critically Endangered?
Moss Fern 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. The Moss Fern faces severe threats from habitat destruction and fragmentation of its specialized tropical forest environments. Its extremely limited distribution and specific microhabitat requirements make populations highly vulnerable to environmental changes and human disturbance. Climate change poses additional risks by altering the humid conditions essential for this species' survival.
Where does Moss Fern live?
Moss Fern 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 Moss Fern?
The main threats to Moss Fern 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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