bastard copperleaf vs Coccora

Acalypha chamaedrifolia compared with Amanita calyptroderma

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	bastard copperleaf	Coccora
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Malpighiales (Malpighiales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Euphorbiaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Acalypha	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Acalypha chamaedrifolia	Amanita calyptroderma

Conservation Status

bastard copperleaf

LC — Least Concern

Coccora

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	bastard copperleaf	Coccora
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

bastard copperleaf

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Cuba.

Coccora

Habitat

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

bastard copperleaf

The Bastard copperleaf (Acalypha chamaedrifolia) is a species in the genus Acalypha. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Coccora

The coccora (Amanita calyptroderma), also known as the California golden Amanita or the coccora mushroom, is a large, prized edible fungus in the family Amanitaceae, native to the Pacific Coast of North America from Oregon through California and into Baja California, Mexico. The species is especially associated with oak woodlands and mixed forests containing coast live oak, valley oak, and madrone, with which it forms ectomycorrhizal partnerships that are mutually beneficial—the fungus exchanges mineral nutrients for photosynthetically produced sugars from the tree's roots. The fruiting body is substantial and handsome: the cap ranges from pale yellowish-gold to rich orange-tawny, typically reaching 10–20 centimeters in diameter when fully expanded, with a smooth, sometimes patchy surface bearing remnants of the universal veil as scattered white patches. The gills are white and free from the stipe, and the base bears a large, sack-like volva from which the mushroom emerges—a characteristic Amanita feature. Despite belonging to the same genus as some of the world's most deadly mushrooms (Amanita phalloides, A. ocreata), the coccora is well-regarded by foragers in California, particularly within Italian-American communities who have long tradition of harvesting it. However, extreme care is essential, as it bears superficial resemblance to deadly species. The coccora is classified as Least Concern given its stable populations in western North American forests.