Hot Spots The world contains many hot spots for bryophytes, from the cool temperate rainforests of New Zealand to mountain cloud forests in Africa, from bogs in northern Europe to mountain ranges in South America. Hot spots tend to be mainly in the uplands, and often in places where flowering plant diversity is not so high. Oceanic islands such as Madeira are often very rich in bryophytes, including some species found nowhere else in the world. In search for places and locations with many threatened bryophyte species you are welcome to assess these to the world list of bryophyte heritage hot spots which, if they meet the criteria will be recommended for protection by the IUCN bryophyte specialist group.