Abstract

Bryophyte flora of Estonia includes 512 species and 189 of these are known from up to 7 localities and considered as rare. Their frequency within Estonia is mapped. Some ecological factors influencing the distribution of rare species are studied by the comparison of ecological indexes of rare and common species, separately for mosses and liverworts. The majority of rare species are more hygrophilous than common species. Many rare species grow in Estonia close to their ecological limits. There are no rare bryophytes that can inhabit several different substrata. The percentage of species growing on stones and in water is much higher in rare bryophytes.