Wrinkle-leaved Moss
Rhytidium rugosum
Conservation status data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Photo: (c) Daniel Buczkiewicz, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Daniel Buczkiewicz
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Bryophyta
Class
Bryopsida
Order
Hypnales
Family
Rhytidiaceae
Genus
Rhytidium
Wrinkle-leaved Moss belongs to the family Rhytidiaceae, order Hypnales, within the Bryopsida class.
Species Profile
Species profile data sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Wrinkle-leaved Moss faces severe threats from climate change, particularly warming temperatures and altered precipitation patterns that disrupt the cool, moist conditions essential for its survival. Habitat degradation from human activities, air pollution, and increased UV radiation due to ozone depletion further compromise this sensitive species' ability to persist in its specialized environments.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
This moss species typically inhabits cool, moist environments including boreal and subarctic regions, often growing on soil, rocks, and decaying organic matter in open woodlands, tundra, and alpine areas. It requires stable moisture conditions and is particularly sensitive to temperature fluctuations and environmental changes.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
Wrinkle-leaved Moss faces severe threats from climate change, particularly warming temperatures and altered precipitation patterns that disrupt the cool, moist conditions essential for its survival. Habitat degradation from human activities, air pollution, and increased UV radiation due to ozone depletion further compromise this sensitive species' ability to persist in its specialized environments.
Air pollution and acid deposition
Altered precipitation patterns and drought
Climate change and warming temperatures
Habitat degradation from human activities
Increased UV radiation exposure
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). Wrinkle-leaved Moss (Rhytidium rugosum). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/wrinkle-leaved-moss