Dark-Purple Earthtongue (Geoglossum atropurpureum)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Fungus or lichen > fungus > Fungus |
| Red List Status: | (Not Relevant) [(not listed)(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Microglossum atropurpureum |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | (Batsch) P. Karst. |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | (not listed) |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Assessed as LC (Annexed) in 2006, but due a review (15 extant sites, with a broad westerly distribution). |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Without evidence of the current national status of this species it will be very difficult to assess if there are any other species-specific actions required for its conservation; or if it is need of conservation at all. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | No |
| Justification: | There is no evidence that an increase in the structural diversity of the habitat will directly benefit this species. |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 2. Biological status assessment exists |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Unknown |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Combination - insufficient |
| Species Comments: | A rare species of CHEGD grasslands, with some records of it on acid grasslands with bryophytes. - Current name is Thuemenidium atropurpureum. An improvement in management to most existing sites as well as protections put in place for sites with future potential is vital for CHEGD species recovery. |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: An assessment of the necessary national species records should be made according to IUCN guidelines to provide a recognised redlist status criteria for this species.
Action targets: 2. Biological status assessment exists
Action type: Status survey/review
Duration: 1 year
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites: N/A
Comments: As no IUCN recognised assessment exists for this species, this action should be prioritised.
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: targeted land management advice should be provided stressing the importance of grazing regimes and explaining other current best practice methods of grassland fungi habitat management for this species and its assemblage.
Action targets: 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales
Action type: Advice & support
Duration: 1 year
Scale of Implementation: Not applicable
High priority sites: N/A
Comments:
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Recognition of waxcap grasslands as a priority habitat
Action targets: 7. Best approach adopted at appropriate scales
Action type: Legal protection
Duration: Unknown
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites: Not applicable
Comments: Majority of waxcap grassland where this species is found are outside of SSSIs and not protected. Tree planting is the greatest threat to this spp, but rarely considered
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.