Trichomanes speciosum

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
PLANTAE	POLYPODIOPHYTA	POLYPODIOPSIDA	HYMENOPHYLLALES	HYMENOPHYLLACEAE

Scientific Name:

Trichomanes speciosum

Species Authority:

Willd.

Common Name/s:

English	–	Killarney Fern
French	–	Trichomanes remarquable

Synonym/s:

Vandenboschia radicans (Sw.) Copel.

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Least Concern ver 3.1
Year Published:	2011
Assessor/s:	Bilz, M.
Reviewer/s:	Cuttelod, A. & Lutz, M.L.
Contributor/s:	Foggi, B. & Juillet, N.
Justification: Trichomanes speciosum is a European endemic fern, restricted to western Europe and Macaronesia. It is found at more than 500 localities in its range and is stable in some countries. Overall, it does not approach any of the threatened categories at European level. However, the species has a very specialized ecology and habitat preferences and is very slow growing and there are potential threat factors such as collection, recreational activities, habitat destruction, unfavourable forest management, modification of hydrological conditions, droughts, and garbage disposal. So despite being assessed as Least Concern, the populations should continue to be monitored, site protection should be kept in place and appropriate management of the sites needs to be considered.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Trichomanes speciosum is a European endemic fern, restricted to western Europe and Macaronesia. In France, it occurs in Brittany, Alsace, and Pyrénées Atlantique. In Italy it grows in Tuscany and Liguria. The gametophyte grows in about 200 subpopulations in Tuscany and Liguria between 20 and 600 m asl. The sporophyte has been recorded in about six localities in the Alpi Apuane between 165 and 275 m asl (Foggi et al. 2010). In Portugal, it is found at two locations close to each other in the Serra de Santa Justa, region Valongo (ICN 2006). In Spain, it occurs in the provinces A Coruña, Asturias, Cadiz, Guipuzcoa, Navarra, Santander, and Vizcaya (Castroviejo et al. 1986, Dirección General de Medio Natural y Política Forestal del MARM 2007). In Germany, only the gametophyte is present (Bundesamt für Naturschutz 2010). In the UK, it is found in at least 14 localities in Northern Ireland, England, southwest Scotland, and Wales (UK Biodiversity Group 1995). It also occurs in Ireland and Czech Republic.
Countries:	Native: Belgium; Czech Republic; France (France (mainland)); Germany; Ireland; Italy (Italy (mainland)); Luxembourg; Poland; Portugal (Azores, Portugal (mainland) - Introduced); Spain (Spain (mainland)); United Kingdom
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	The following population data has been provided in country reports for the Article 17 consultation under the Habitats Directive (Commission of the European Communities 2009): Belgium: occupying seven grid cells with an unknown trend Czech Republic: 230 localities with an increasing trend Germany: 128 localities with stable populations Ireland: 66 localities with a stable trend Luxembourg: 130-150 localities with a stable trend Poland: five individuals and declining Portugal: 23 tufts with a declining population Spain: 16 localities with a stable trend and more than 1,000 individuals on the Canary Islands United Kingdom: 162 localities with an unknown trend In Italy, the sporophyte is found at six localities, has a population size of 2,500 individuals and a stable trend that is expected to decline in the future. In France, the species is found at 172 localities. In Poland, the species is found at two localities with few individuals only (Kalinka and Nowak 2004).
Population Trend:	Stable

Population:

The following population data has been provided in country reports for the Article 17 consultation under the Habitats Directive (Commission of the European Communities 2009):

Belgium: occupying seven grid cells with an unknown trend
Czech Republic: 230 localities with an increasing trend
Germany: 128 localities with stable populations
Ireland: 66 localities with a stable trend
Luxembourg: 130-150 localities with a stable trend
Poland: five individuals and declining
Portugal: 23 tufts with a declining population
Spain: 16 localities with a stable trend and more than 1,000 individuals on the Canary Islands
United Kingdom: 162 localities with an unknown trend

In Italy, the sporophyte is found at six localities, has a population size of 2,500 individuals and a stable trend that is expected to decline in the future. In France, the species is found at 172 localities. In Poland, the species is found at two localities with few individuals only (Kalinka and Nowak 2004).

Population Trend:

Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This fern occurs in shady and humid places near water (ICN 2006). It can be found in the following Habitats Directive listed habitats (Commission of the European Communities 2009): 8220 Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation 8310 Caves not open to the public 91E0 Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno- Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae) 9120 Atlantic acidophilous beech forests with Ilex and sometimes also Taxus in the shrublayer (Quercion robori-petraeae or Ilici-Fagenion) 9180 Tilio-Acerion forests of slopes, screes and ravines
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This fern occurs in shady and humid places near water (ICN 2006). It can be found in the following Habitats Directive listed habitats (Commission of the European Communities 2009):

8220 Siliceous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation
8310 Caves not open to the public
91E0 Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno- Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae)
9120 Atlantic acidophilous beech forests with Ilex and sometimes also Taxus in the shrublayer (Quercion robori-petraeae or Ilici-Fagenion)
9180 Tilio-Acerion forests of slopes, screes and ravines

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	This species has a very specialized ecology and habitat preferences and is very slow growing. Therefore it is potentially threatened by a number of factors including sample collection, recreational activities, habitat destruction and desiccation. Unfavourable forest management (such as removal of forest undergrowth), overgrazing, outdoor sports and leisure activities such as climbing, and modification of hydrological conditions have been reported as threats by some of the EU 27 member countries (Commission of the European Communities 2009). For Italy, additional threats of logging, drought (probably more important in the future and due to surface water abstraction and climate warming) and domestic waste and garbage discharge have been reported (Foggi et al. 2010). In Portugal, invasion of Acacia melanoxylon poses a threat (ICN 2006).

Major Threat(s):

This species has a very specialized ecology and habitat preferences and is very slow growing. Therefore it is potentially threatened by a number of factors including sample collection, recreational activities, habitat destruction and desiccation. Unfavourable forest management (such as removal of forest undergrowth), overgrazing, outdoor sports and leisure activities such as climbing, and modification of hydrological conditions have been reported as threats by some of the EU 27 member countries (Commission of the European Communities 2009). For Italy, additional threats of logging, drought (probably more important in the future and due to surface water abstraction and climate warming) and domestic waste and garbage discharge have been reported (Foggi et al. 2010). In Portugal, invasion of Acacia melanoxylon poses a threat (ICN 2006).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Trichomanes speciosum is listed on Annex II of the Habitats Directive and under Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention). In Ireland Trichomanes speciosum is protected under the Wildlife Act, 1976-Flora (Commission of the European Communities 2009). In France, it is protected at national level. In Italy it is included in the Tuscanian Regional Law for the Protection of the Flora LR 56/2000, but is not included in any protected areas. In Germany, the species is considered as not threatened and it is classed as Least Concern in Luxembourg (Colling 2005) and in the United Kingdom (Cheffings and Farrell 2005). It is not included in the Belgian red list. In Czech Republic, the taxon is listed as Critically Endangered in the national red list under the synonym Vandenboschia speciosa (Holub and Procházka 2000). In Spain, it is classed as Vulnerable B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii); D2 on the national red list (Moreno 2008). Recommended conservation measures are a constant monitoring of the populations and guidelines for forest management and water abstraction nearby the populations.

Conservation Actions:

Trichomanes speciosum is listed on Annex II of the Habitats Directive and under Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention).

In Ireland Trichomanes speciosum is protected under the Wildlife Act, 1976-Flora (Commission of the European Communities 2009). In France, it is protected at national level. In Italy it is included in the Tuscanian Regional Law for the Protection of the Flora LR 56/2000, but is not included in any protected areas.
In Germany, the species is considered as not threatened and it is classed as Least Concern in Luxembourg (Colling 2005) and in the United Kingdom (Cheffings and Farrell 2005). It is not included in the Belgian red list.
In Czech Republic, the taxon is listed as Critically Endangered in the national red list under the synonym Vandenboschia speciosa (Holub and Procházka 2000). In Spain, it is classed as Vulnerable B1ab(iii)+2ab(iii); D2 on the national red list (Moreno 2008).
Recommended conservation measures are a constant monitoring of the populations and guidelines for forest management and water abstraction nearby the populations.

Citation:	Bilz, M. 2011. Trichomanes speciosum. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 May 2013.
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