Perennial Knawel
Scleranthus perennis
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scleranthus_perennis
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Family
Caryophyllaceae
Genus
Scleranthus
Perennial Knawel belongs to the family Caryophyllaceae, order Caryophyllales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Perennial Knawel faces severe population declines due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification and urban development across its European range. The species' specialized requirements for nutrient-poor, sandy soils make it particularly vulnerable to land use changes and habitat fragmentation, with many historical populations having disappeared entirely.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Perennial Knawel occurs in nutrient-poor, sandy or gravelly soils in open habitats including heathlands, sand dunes, dry grasslands, and disturbed ground such as quarries and railway embankments. The species requires well-drained, acidic to neutral substrates with minimal vegetation competition.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Perennial Knawel faces severe population declines due to habitat loss from agricultural intensification and urban development across its European range. The species' specialized requirements for nutrient-poor, sandy soils make it particularly vulnerable to land use changes and habitat fragmentation, with many historical populations having disappeared entirely.
Agricultural intensification and conversion
Habitat fragmentation
Urban development and infrastructure expansion
Loss of traditional extensive grazing
Nutrient enrichment of soils
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). Perennial Knawel (Scleranthus perennis). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/perennial-knawel