alpine pussytoes vs Clouded Agaric

Antennaria alpina compared with Clitocybe nebularis

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	alpine pussytoes	Clouded Agaric
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)	Tricholomataceae
Genus	Antennaria	Clitocybe
Species	Antennaria alpina	Clitocybe nebularis

Conservation Status

alpine pussytoes

LC — Least Concern

Clouded Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	alpine pussytoes	Clouded Agaric
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

alpine pussytoes

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.

Clouded Agaric

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, and United States.

alpine pussytoes

The Alpine pussytoes (Antennaria alpina) is a species in the genus Antennaria. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions. Distributed across Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.

Clouded Agaric

The clouded agaric (Clitocybe nebularis, syn. Lepista nebularis) is a large, robust saprotrophic mushroom in the family Tricholomataceae found across temperate broadleaved and mixed forests of Europe and North America. It produces pale grey to buff fruiting bodies with broad, wavy caps up to 20 cm diameter, crowded, slightly decurrent gills, and a stout stipe, typically emerging in large fairy rings or scattered groups in autumn woodland settings. The common name 'clouded' refers to the greyish, misty coloration of the cap surface. Though historically eaten in parts of Europe and considered edible when thoroughly cooked, C. nebularis is now known to contain toxic compounds and a heat-labile gastrointestinal toxin that causes illness in some individuals, and it is associated with documented poisoning cases. Its strong mealy odor is distinctive. The species is widespread and common across European deciduous forests, fruiting reliably in autumn and forming an important component of the saprotrophic fungal community responsible for decomposing accumulated leaf litter and organic matter in temperate forest ecosystems.