Oysterleaf
Mertensia maritima
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mertensia_maritima
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Boraginales
Family
Boraginaceae
Genus
Mertensia
Oysterleaf belongs to the family Boraginaceae, order Boraginales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Oysterleaf faces severe threats from coastal development, sea level rise, and habitat degradation along its specialized shoreline environments. Climate change-induced coastal erosion and increased storm intensity are rapidly destroying the fragile shingle beaches and rocky shores where this species occurs. Human activities including tourism, coastal construction, and trampling have further reduced available habitat and population sizes.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Oysterleaf occupies specialized coastal habitats including shingle beaches, rocky shores, sea cliffs, and salt marshes in Arctic and subarctic regions. The species requires well-drained, mineral-rich soils in maritime environments with high salt tolerance and exposure to sea spray.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Oysterleaf faces severe threats from coastal development, sea level rise, and habitat degradation along its specialized shoreline environments. Climate change-induced coastal erosion and increased storm intensity are rapidly destroying the fragile shingle beaches and rocky shores where this species occurs. Human activities including tourism, coastal construction, and trampling have further reduced available habitat and population sizes.
Climate change impacts on coastal habitats
Coastal development and urbanization
Sea level rise and coastal erosion
Habitat fragmentation
Trampling and recreational disturbance
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
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Oysterleaf (Mertensia maritima). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/oysterleaf