Rustyback
Asplenium ceterach
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asplenium_ceterach
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Polypodiopsida
Order
Polypodiales
Family
Aspleniaceae
Genus
Asplenium
Rustyback belongs to the family Aspleniaceae, order Polypodiales, within the Polypodiopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
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.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
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.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
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.
Climate change and drought stress
Habitat destruction from quarrying and development
Air pollution degrading microhabitats
Invasive plant competition
Loss of traditional stone walls and structures
National vs Global Threat Status
How this species is assessed at the national level compared to its IUCN global status (CR).
| Country | National Status | Global Status | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
| EU | LCLeast Concern | CRCritically Endangered | Lower local risk |
National Red List data sourced from the National Red List Project (nationalredlist.org, ZSL) and country-specific Red List authorities.
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
National Red Lists: ZSL (2025). National Red List. Zoological Society of London. Available at: https://www.nationalredlist.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Rustyback (Asplenium ceterach). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/rustyback