Stiff Quillwort
Isoetes echinospora
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
44
Countries
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Lycopodiopsida
Order
Isoetales
Family
Isoetaceae
Genus
Isoetes
Stiff Quillwort belongs to the family Isoetaceae, order Isoetales, within the Lycopodiopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Stiff Quillwort faces severe threats from habitat degradation and loss of its specialized aquatic environments. The species is particularly vulnerable to water pollution, eutrophication, and changes in water chemistry that alter the pristine conditions required for its survival. Climate change and human activities continue to reduce the quality and availability of suitable oligotrophic lake habitats.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Oligotrophic lakes and clear, nutrient-poor freshwater bodies with sandy or gravelly substrates, typically found in northern temperate and boreal regions. The species grows submerged in shallow to moderately deep waters where it forms distinctive rosettes on lake bottoms.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Stiff Quillwort faces severe threats from habitat degradation and loss of its specialized aquatic environments. The species is particularly vulnerable to water pollution, eutrophication, and changes in water chemistry that alter the pristine conditions required for its survival. Climate change and human activities continue to reduce the quality and availability of suitable oligotrophic lake habitats.
Climate change altering water chemistry
Habitat degradation of oligotrophic lakes
Water pollution and eutrophication
Human disturbance to lake ecosystems
Sedimentation and substrate changes
Found in 44 Countries
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). Stiff Quillwort (Isoetes echinospora). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/stiff-quillwort