Epilobium anagallidifolium

Lam.

Alpine Willowherb

G5Secure Found in 14 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
UnknownThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.128325
Element CodePDONA06010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderMyrtales
FamilyOnagraceae
GenusEpilobium
Other Common Names
Épilobe à feuilles de mouron (FR) Pimpernel Willowherb (EN) pimpernel willowherb (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank Method Rank calculation - Biotics v2
Review Date2025-07-22
Change Date1984-04-24
Edition Date2025-07-22
Edition AuthorsN. Ventrella (2025)
Threat ImpactUnknown
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
Epilobium anagallidifolium is a perennial forb occurring on moist flats, coastal marsh edges, high montane and alpine habitats, and seeps worldwide, in North America, Greenland, Europe, Russia, China, and Japan. In North America, this species is found from Yukon east to Nunavut, Quebec, and Newfoundland Island, Canada, south to New Hampshire, and from Alaska south to California, Utah, and Colorado in the United States. There are several thousand estimated occurrences of this taxon rangewide, which are likely threatened by development, water diversion, alteration of hydrology, erosion, recreational activities, invasive species, and other threats in some places. Little is known about threats and trends, but with a large range extent and high number of occurrences, Epilobium anagallidifolium is considered secure.
Range Extent Comments
Epilobium anagallidifolium occurs globally in North America, Greenland, Europe, Russia, China, and Japan (FNA 2021). In North America, this species is found from Yukon east to Nunavut, Quebec, and Newfoundland Island, Canada, south to New Hampshire, and from Alaska south to California, Utah, and Colorado in the United States. The range extent was estimated to be over 71 million square kilometers using herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data collected between 1994 and 2025 (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Occurrences Comments
By applying a 1 km separation distance to herbarium specimens, photo-based observations, and NatureServe Network occurrence data documented between 1994 and 2025, it is estimated that there are several thousand occurrences rangewide (GBIF 2025, iNaturalist 2025, NatureServe 2025, RARECAT 2025, SEINet 2025).
Threat Impact Comments
Although threats are not widely documented, Epilobium anagallidifolium is potentially threatened by development, water diversion, alteration of hydrology, erosion, recreational activities, invasive species, and other threats in some places. However, their overall impact is likely negligible given the species' broad range and large number of occurrences.
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Epilobium anagallidifolium occurs on "moist flats, stream banks, subarctic coastal marsh edges, high montane and alpine meadows and seeps" from 0-4500 m in elevation (FNA 2021).
Terrestrial Habitats
Grassland/herbaceousAlpine
Palustrine Habitats
FORESTED WETLANDRiparian
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
Northwest TerritoriesS4Yes
AlbertaS3Yes
British ColumbiaS5Yes
Yukon TerritoryS4Yes
QuebecS3Yes
Island of NewfoundlandS2Yes
LabradorS3Yes
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
MaineS1Yes
New HampshireSHYes
NevadaS2Yes
OregonSNRYes
ColoradoS4Yes
UtahS2Yes
IdahoSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
North CarolinaSNRYes
AlaskaSNRYes
MontanaS4Yes
WashingtonSNRYes
WyomingS4Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
Unknown/undetermined

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (14)
Alaska (1)
AreaForestAcres
Port AlexanderTongass National Forest120,681
California (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mt. Shasta AShasta-Trinity National Forest676
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Borah PeakSalmon-Challis National Forest130,463
Montana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big Snowy Mountains WsaLewis and Clark National Forest88,003
Utah (2)
AreaForestAcres
418040Uinta National Forest1,702
LakesWasatch-Cache National Forest121,967
Washington (5)
AreaForestAcres
Glacier Peak JMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest26,482
Goat Rocks AdjWenatchee National Forest6,108
Gotchen CreekGifford Pinchot National Forest7,518
Mt. Baker NorthMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest16,873
Mt. Baker WestMt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest25,390
Wyoming (3)
AreaForestAcres
Beartooth Proposed WildernessShoshone National Forest16,837
Snowy RangeMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest29,660
South Beartooth HighwayShoshone National Forest105,570
References (7)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2021. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 10. Magnoliophyta: Proteaceae to Elaeagnaceae. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxiv + 456 pp.
  2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). 2025. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) data portal. Online. Available: https://www.gbif.org/ (accessed 2025).
  3. iNaturalist. 2025. Online. Available: https://www.inaturalist.org (accessed 2025).
  4. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  5. NatureServe. 2025. NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia.
  6. <p>NatureServe's Rapid Analysis of Rarity and Endangerment Conservation Assessment Tool (RARECAT). 2025. Version: 2.1.1 (released April 04, 2025).</p>
  7. Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet). 2025. Collections Databases. Online. Available: https://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/collections/index.php (accessed 2025).