Lunularia cruciata is distributed across the world, found in continents including Europe, Australasia, Asia, the Americas, and Africa.

It occurs commonly in western Europe, and is native to the Mediterranean region, where the morphological forms from sexual reproduction are more frequently found there.

[9] The sporophytes of L. cruciata are rare, but has been found in European regions, as well as in South Africa, Argentina, California, India, Japan and New Zealand.

[7] Other habitats include loam, boulders, concrete, exposed tree roots, soil covered logs and in the gaps between sidewalk stones.

[10] Cadmium in this liverwort also inhibits gemma germination and apical thallus growth, as well as altering cell and chloroplast structure.