Moehringia villosa, commonly known as the short-haired sandwort, is a flowering plant of the family Caryophyllaceae. It is endemic to Slovenia where it has a very limited range with an extent of occurrence of less than in the southern parts of the Julian Alps. It grows in cracks in sunny, rocky and dry areas.
Moehringia villosa is endemic to Slovenia, with a restricted distribution in the southern Julian Alps and their foothills. Its known distribution area spans from its easternmost locality under Mt. Hoàabove the village of Podporezen (à ½elezniki municipality), to its northeasternmost locality under Skopska Crna Gora in the area of Home (Bohinj municipality). The southernmost populations occur at HudiÃÂev rob under Mt. Kojca (Cerkno municipality), while the northwesternmost localityâÂÂwhich represents the extreme northwestern boundary of the species' entire global rangeâÂÂis at Curk waterfall under Mt. Krn (Kobarid municipality). The majority of known localities are situated in the upper BaÃÂa valley in the Tolmin municipality.
The species inhabits crevices in limestone, dolomite, marlstone, and chert rocks. It typically grows on steep to vertical rock faces with slopes of 80âÂÂ100 degrees, at elevations ranging from approximately 445 to 1,475 metres above sea level. These rock faces vary in aspect, though many localities have southern, southeastern, or eastern exposures.
Phytosociologically, M. villosa primarily occurs in the plant community Campanulo carnicaeâÂÂMoehringietum villosae, often associated with other specialized rock-dwelling plants including Campanula carnica, Paederota lutea, Asplenium trichomanes, and Sesleria caerulea. Based on variations in habitat conditions and associated species, researchers have identified several variants of this community, including those characterized by Carex mucronata, Paederota lutea, Festuca stenantha, and Campanula carnica.
While predominantly found in relatively dry rock crevices, M. villosa occasionally appears in more water-loving (hydrophilic) plant communities with dominant Viola biflora, particularly at sites like Curk waterfall. The species shows morphological variation, with specimens at some localities (including Curk waterfall) corresponding to the less hairy form Moehringia villosa f. glabrescens. As of 2021, the species was assessed as vital with generally unthreatened populations, as its rocky habitats are not subject to direct human intervention.