Plant · GBIF taxon 5281381
Redshank
Ceratodon purpureusAlso known as Fire Moss, Purple Forkmoss, Ceratodon Moss, Purple Horn-Toothed Moss
Fire moss forms dense, reddish-green tufts that thrive on disturbed ground, burn sites, and urban concrete cracks across all seven continents. As the abundant, upright sporophytes mature, their stalks and capsules turn a striking purplish-red, creating vibrant carpets across bleak landscapes. Its extraordinary tolerance for heavy metals, extreme temperatures, and severe desiccation allows it to initiate soil stabilization and ecological recovery after wildfires.
Pioneer SpeciesCosmopolitanMoss
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Autotrophic (Photosynthetic)
Predators
- Mites
- Springtails
- Tardigrades
ThreatsGenerally secure, locally threatened by total site paving
HabitatsDisturbed soil, burn sites, pavement cracks, dry sand, tundra
Life spanPerennial
Classification
- OrderDicranales
- FamilyDitrichaceae
- GenusCeratodon
- SpeciesCeratodon purpureus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Spotting sporophytes: Look for the bright purplish-red stalks emerging in late spring.
- Habitat scanning: Search burn sites, roadside dirt, and cracks in sidewalk concrete.
Co-occurring Pioneer (c) Igor Balashov, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Igor Balashov · cc-by
Urban Competitor (c) Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas · cc-by
Distant Relative Kristian Peters -- Fabelfroh 14:35, 21 October 2007 (UTC) / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Keep collecting in Fauna
Found in Collections
Ecosystem chain
The Forest Floor
Redshank is found in this collection. Identify it in Fauna to fill this slot and continue your progress.
—/12
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.