Rustyback
CR

Rustyback

Asplenium ceterach

UnknownLCEULCEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asplenium_ceterach

Overview

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

Rustyback fern faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urbanization and quarrying of limestone cliffs and walls where it grows. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns and increased drought stress, while air pollution from urban and industrial sources degrades the specialized microhabitats this species requires.

Threat summary

Habitat

Rocky limestone cliffs, stone walls, and crevices in calcareous substrates, typically in Mediterranean and temperate regions with well-drained alkaline conditions. The species colonizes both natural rock faces and human-made stone structures, requiring specific moisture and pH conditions in protected crevices.

TERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Aspleniaceae

VU

ladder spleenwort

Asplenium adulterinum

Unknown
Green SpleenwortVU

Green Spleenwort

Asplenium viride

Unknown
CR

Asplenium veneticolor

Unknown
CR

Asplenium alatum

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Rustyback classified as Critically Endangered?
Rustyback 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. Rustyback fern faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to urbanization and quarrying of limestone cliffs and walls where it grows. Climate change poses additional risks through altered precipitation patterns and increased drought stress, while air pollution from urban and industrial sources degrades the specialized microhabitats this species requires.
Where does Rustyback live?
Rustyback 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 Rustyback?
The main threats to Rustyback 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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