SafePlants

Ptilidium ciliare: Ciliated Fringewort

Ptilidium ciliare is a fascinating liverwort known by the common names Ciliated Fringewort and Northern Naugehyde Liverwort.

Considerations for Pets

• This plant is a moss-like liverwort, with shoots that can grow in reddish-brown to yellow-green tufts.
• The leaves of Ptilidium ciliare are lobed with cilia protruding from the margins, which may be a point of interest for curious animals.

Considerations for Children

• This plant is a moss-like liverwort, with shoots that can grow in reddish-brown to yellow-green tufts.
• The leaves of Ptilidium ciliare are lobed with cilia protruding from the margins, which may be a point of interest for curious children.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Ptilidium ciliare (L.) Hampe
• Common Names: Ciliated Fringewort, Northern Naugehyde Liverwort
• Family: Ptilidiaceae
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Taxonomic Rank: Species
• Synonym: Blepharozia ciliaris (mentioned as part of the Discover Life entry)

Distribution and Habitat

• Ptilidium ciliare is widespread in Canada, Alaska, and found in regions including the Balkan Peninsula, Baltic states, Belgium, Beringian Arctic, Bulgaria, Caucasus, Central Asia, Central Russia, and mainland China.
• It's often found in heaths and woods on sandy soils, especially on northern slopes and steep banks. In Scotland, it has been found near the Cheesewring quarry.
• It is a Boreo-arctic montane Circumpolar element.

Morphological Characteristics

• This is a large, distinctive liverwort species.
• Shoots can grow up to 3 mm wide.
• It grows in reddish-brown to yellow-green tufts.
• The stems are pinnate or bipinnate.
• Its leaves are broadly 2-4 lobed with unbranched cilia protruding from the margins.

Ecological Role

• This liverwort can form carpets on stony surfaces of dry Calluna moorland.

Quirky Facts

• In German, Ptilidium ciliare is known as Behaartes Federchen-Lebermoos, Groes or Sand-Federchen-Lebermoos.

Genetic and Chemical Information

• A pure substance with the composition C15H22O has been isolated from Ptilidium ciliare.
• It contains barbatane-, daucane- and pinguisane-type sesquiterpenoids, as well as dolabellane-.

Further Information

• Discover Life provides information about the biology, natural history, ecology, identification, and distribution of Ptilidium ciliare.
• Tropicos and the IPCN (International Plant Names Index) may also hold further information.
• TERMIUM is the Government of Canada's terminology and linguistic data bank which may contain relevant information.