World distribution: The species has a circumpolar distribution, occurring in North America and Greenland (Brodo & Hawksworth 1977, Thomson 1984), northern Europe and Siberia (Hawksworth 1972), and Japan (Jørgensen 1975). In Europe, it is known from Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia (Hawksworth 1972, Santesson 1993, Rassi et al. 1992); the two British records (Purvis 1992a) are now considered to have originated from outside Britain (Purvis et al. 1993). In Sweden it is known only from a few scattered localities in Ångermanland (Moberg & Thor 1993), and in Finland in Kuopio (Rassi et al. 1992)
Ecology: Results. There are only a few ecological data on the labels of the Norwegian collections. The substrate (indicated in 3 localities) is moss covered rock. Nothing is indicated about rock type or habitat. One locality (47), a north-facing slope with several rock outcrops, is the main locality for Asahinea chrysantha (3), see that species. Discussion. According to Brodo & Hawksworth (1977), Bryoria nitidula is a species of both dry and wet tundra, generally associated with rock (mostly non-calcareous). It is characterized as extremely xerophilous and tolerant to low temperatures (Kershaw & Larson 1974). Based on the few data available, the Norwegian collections seem to fit into this pattern
Threats: Results. None. Discussion. In view of the sparse ecological data available, specific threats are difficult to point out. Overgrazing by reindeer is a serious problem in parts of Finnmark, but whether this affects B. nitidula is not known
Status: The species was not given priority in the field work. Five collections are from 1906 or older while the other three are from 1967 (2390) and 1986 (46, 47). None of the localities were investigated, and the status of the species in Norway is therefore at present uncertain. There are no protected localities
Notes: There are two uncertain records: One doubtful determination (2390) and one possibly confused with a site with a similar name (45; possibly Jacobselv in Sør-Varanger). The rejected record (708) is apparently the material on which Hawksworth (1972) based a dot on the map in southern Norway; the material seems to belong in B. implexa sensu Holien (1989)..
Specimens in other herbaria, litterature, etc.