Aloina aloides
Common Name: Common Aloe-Moss, Conservation Status - Least Concern (Schnyder, 2019)
Appearance and Identification
A. aloides is a dioecious, acrocarpous moss, and therefore, does not form organised colonies, but instead grows as a scattered turf of vertical shoots (BIBS, n.d.; Hill et al., 2017). The individual shoots are very small, just 2-5mm tall (Pilkington, 2010a), and as alluded to by its common name, bare a striking resemblance to succulents from the Aloe genus e.g. Aloe vera. Its glossy, dark green leaves are arranged in a rosette and held straight out at approximately 45 degrees, although they may start to curl in on themselves if the plant becomes dehydrated. The leaves are long, thing and although rarely excurrent the nerve runs the whole length of the leaf giving them a distinctly pointed tip. The leaf margins are untoothed and heavily incurved which also gives the leaves a hooded appearance (Pilkington, 2010a).
When present the seta of this species are hard to miss, being several times the height of the main shoot, and often tinged a deep reddish-orange hue. They are topped by long cylindrical capsules, with large, pointed, hairless calyptra (Pilkington, 2010a), which can also be brown-red in colour. As a result when viewed from afar patches of A. aloides can look either dark green or reddish brown (Pilkington, 2010a).
Similar Species:
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Aloina ambigua - Has a basal membrane, ring of cells between the end of the capsule and the peristome teeth, therefore when viewed from the side the peristome teeth do not start directly at the capsule-peristome boundary but instead all merge into a solid ring of tissue first, while in A. aloides, peristome teeth start right at the boundary (BIBS, n.d.; Pilkington, 2010a). A. ambigua is also much rarer than A. aloides, so it is much more likely you will come across the latter. Especially if you are in Scotland or Ireland where A. abigua is incredibly rare, or above 200m elevation where A. ambigua does not occur in the UK (Hill et al., 2017; Pilkington, 2010a, Pilkington, 2010b).
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Aloina brevirostris - Both smaller (1-2mm) and much rarer than A. aloides, it is very unlikely that you will see A. brevirostris in the UK. It has only been found in England, and very occasionally in Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. It also does not grow above 200m or in coastal or rocky areas like A. aloides does (Pilkington, 2010a; Pilkington, 2010c; Hill et. al., 2017). Other distinguishing features include more rounded leaves, and when viewed under a microscope the presence of hyaline cell border at the base of the leaf, although this is not always very clear (BIBS, n.d.; Pilkington, 2010c).
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Aloina rigida - Both smaller (1-2mm) and much rarer than A. aloides, it is very unlikely that you will see A. rigida in the UK, especially if you are in Ireland where it has been recorded in just one hectad since 1950. It also does not grow in coastal or rocky areas like A. aloides does (Pilkington, 2010a; Pilkington, 2010c; Hill et. al., 2017). Other distinguishing features include more rounded leaves, and when viewed under a microscope the presence of hyaline cell border at the base of the leaf, although this is not always very clear (BIBS, n.d.; Pilkington, 2010c).
- Small Pogonatum sp. - All but one of the British and Irish Pogonatum species are an order of magnitude larger than A. aloides, and all of them are calcifuges and therefore, cannot grow in the same soils as the calcium loving A. aloides (Hill et al., 2017). Additionally, they have toothed leaves and hairy calyptra (Pilkington, 2010a).
- Polytrichum juniperinum - It is only particularly small specimens that could be confused, as on average this species is significantly larger than A. aloides (Hill et al., 2017). The main physical difference is that P. juniperinum has a much longer, drawn out leaf tip which is often red tinged (Pilkington, 2010a). However, the two species are usually found in the complete opposite habitats as A. aloides requires high calcium, basic soils, while, P. juniperinum prefers acidic, low calcium soils (Hill et. al., 2017).
- Polytrichum piliferum - It is only particularly small specimens that could be confused as on average this species is significantly larger than A. aloides (Hill et al., 2017). The main physical difference is that P. piliferum has a much longer, drawn out leaf tip which fades to colouress near the ends (Pilkington, 2010a). Additionally, the two species are usually found in the complete opposite habitats as A. aloides requires high calcium, basic soils, while, P. piliferum prefers acidic, low calcium soils (Hill et. al., 2017).
Although usually listed as separate species, some have argued that A. aloides and A. ambigua should be considered the same species (Campisi et al., 2017).
(Carmaño, 2022)
(Waterman, 2023)
(Waterman, 2022)
Distribution
A. aloides is generally considered to be common and widespread across the majority of its range, however local declines have led to regional classifications of Critically Endangered in Norway and Switzerland, Endangered in Sweden, Near Threatened in Madeira, Hungary and Germany, and rare in Poland (Hodgetts & Lockhart, 2020; Schnyder, 2019). It is a primarily Mediterranean and Western European species, however, it can be found as far west as Ireland and Madeira, and in almost every country that falls between them, and Lithuania and Cyprus in the east. Although, it is absent from Kosovo and Slovakia, and only reaches as far as the southern tip of Scandanavia (Schnyder, 2019). Outside of Europe it has a very limited distribution, but it has been reported in Tajikistan (Ignatov et al., 2006), the Caucasus region (Georgia, Armenia and a small section of southern Russia), Newfoundland, and parts of North Africa (Smith & Smith, 2004). It also has an altitudinal range of 0-800m (Schnyder, 2019)
A. aloides is fairly evenly distributed across the UK and Ireland, although sightings do become less common as you reach the northern Scotland and western Ireland. It can be found in a wide variety of calcium rich habitats, although it is most likely to be found in abandoned limestone and chalk quarries, or on the mortar of degraded walls and buildings (Blockeel, 2014).
UK Altitudinal Range: 0-460m (Blockeel, 2014)
Habitat and Ecology
A. aloides is a perennial moss which can be seen throughout the year, although because capsules are key to its identification the best time to look for this species will be between Autumn and Spring when mature capsules are most abundant (Blockeel, 2014; Hill et al., 2017; Pilkingon, 2010).
It is a light loving moss which grows best in dry, low-nutrient, basic soils in calcium rich lowland environments, although is occasionally found in area's with a more neutral pH. It also tends to be found in more sparsely vegetated areas, although does not tolerate regular soil disturbance. Examples of good habitat for this species include; chalk and limestone quarries, sand dunes, sparsely vegetated banks, soft, basic rocks like sandstone, and bricks and mortar in old buildings and walls (Blockeel, 2014; Hill et al., 2017; Pilkington, 2010; Schnyder, 2019). Although not yet an issue in the UK, in other parts of its range A. aloides is facing habitat loss from the destruction of old walls, and degradation of dry meadows by intensive agriculture (Meinunger & Schröder, 2007; Schnyder, 2019). In the UK it has been recorded on the following substrates; soft rock, worked rock, soil on rock, soil, gravel and sand, and the following habitat classes; coastal dunes, inland cliffs and rocky outcrops, bare inland areas, areas with a low density of buildings, and extractive industry sights (Hill et al., 2017).
Associated Species: Barbula convoluta, Bryoerythrophyllum recurvirostrum, Dicranella varia, Didymodon fallax, Leicolea turbinata and Trichostomum brachydontium (Blockeel, 2014; Pilkington, 2010).
Regional Threat Level
British Red List: Regionally classified as Least Concern with a stable population (Callaghan, 2022), and unsurprisingly considered neither nationally scarce or rare (Pescott, 2016).
Irish Red List: Regionally classified as Least Concern (Hodgetts & Lockhart, 2025), and considered neither nationally scarce or rare (Hodgetts & Lockhart, 2013).
References
Blockeel, T. J. (2014). Aloina aloides. In T. J. Blockeel, S. Bosanquet, M. Hill, & C. Preston (Eds), Atlas of British and Irish Bryophytes (Vol. 2). Pisces Publications.
British and Irish Bryological Society. (n.d.). Aloina aloides. British and Bryological Society. British Bryological Society. https://www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk/learning/species-finder/aloina-aloides/
Callaghan, D. A. (2022). A new IUCN Red List of the bryophytes of Britain, 2023. Journal of Bryology, 44(4), 271–389. https://doi.org/10.1080/03736687.2023.2185393
Camaño, J. L. (2023). English: Common Aloe-moss (Aloina aloides) [Graphic]. https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/264366183. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aloina_aloides_264366183.jpg
Campisi, P., Cogoni, A., Garcia, C., Hodgetts, N., Kucera, J., Lara, F., Lüth, M. & Schröck, C. 2019. Aloina ambigua (Europe assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T84534696A87771585. Accessed on 10 September 2026.
Hill, M. O., Preston, C. D., Bosanquet, S. D. S., & Roy, D. B. (2017). BRYOATT - Attributes of British and Irish Mosses, Liverworts and Hornworts. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
Hodgetts, N. G., & Lockhart, N. (2013). Rare and Scarce Bryophytes of Ireland. 110, 12–26.
Hodgetts, N., & Lockhart, N. (2020). Checklist and country status of European bryophytes – update 2020. National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Hodgetts, N., & Lockhart, N. (2025). Bryophytes (Mosses, Liverworts & Hornworts). Ireland Red List No. 14. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Ignatov, M., Afonina, O., & Ignatova, E. (2006). Checklist of mosses of East Europe and North Asia. Arctoa, 15, 1–130. https://doi.org/10.15298/arctoa.15.01
Meinunger, L., & Schröder, W. (2007). Verbreitungsatlas der Moose Deutschlands—Band 2. Oliver Dürhammer für die Regensburgische Botanische Gesellschaft.
Schnyder, N. 2019. Aloina aloides (Europe assessment). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T84534686A87738458. Accessed on 04 September 2026.
Pescott, O. (2016). Revised lists of nationally rare and scarce bryophytes for Britain. 115, 22–30.
Pilkington, S. (2010a). Aloina aloides. In M. Lawley, I. Atherton, & S. Bosanquet (Eds), Mosses and liverworts of Britain and Ireland: A field guide (First Edition, p. 472). British Bryological Society.
Pilkington, S. (2010b). Aloina ambigua. In M. Lawley, I. Atherton, & S. Bosanquet (Eds), Mosses and liverworts of Britain and Ireland: A field guide (First Edition, p. 473). British Bryological Society.
Pilkington, S. (2010c). Aloina brevirostris/rigida. In M. Lawley, I. Atherton, & S. Bosanquet (Eds), Mosses and liverworts of Britain and Ireland: A field guide (First Edition, p. 471). British Bryological Society.
Smith, A. J. E., & Smith, R. (2004). The Moss Flora of Britain and Ireland (2nd edn). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511541858
Waterman, H. (2022). English: Common Aloe-moss (Aloina aloides) [Graphic]. https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/243775733. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aloina_aloides_243775733.jpg
Waterman, H. (2023). Common Aloe-moss (Aloina aloides) [Graphic]. https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/254577020. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aloina_aloides_254577020.jpg
Written By: Lucy Hudson Last Updated: 4th September 2026