Black Lichen vs Common Globe-Thistle

Lichina pygmaea compared with Echinops sphaerocephalus

Key Differences

• Black Lichen is Extinct while Common Globe-Thistle is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black Lichen	Common Globe-Thistle
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Lichinomycetes (Lichinomycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Lichinales (Lichinales)	Afrosoricida (Afrosoricida)
Family	Lichinaceae	Tenrecidae
Genus	Lichina	Echinops
Species	Lichina pygmaea	Echinops sphaerocephalus

Conservation Status

Black Lichen

EX — Extinct

Common Globe-Thistle

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black Lichen	Common Globe-Thistle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black Lichen

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.

Common Globe-Thistle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (19 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (Australia).

Black Lichen

The Black Lichen (Lichina pygmaea) is a species in the genus Lichina. It is currently classified as Extinct on the IUCN Red List. Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region. Its geographic range spans Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.

Common Globe-Thistle

<em>Echinops sphaerocephalus</em>, commonly known as the common globe-thistle or great globe-thistle, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Asteraceae. The species has a distribution spanning Europe, North America, and Oceania, with naturalization in several regions outside its native southern and central European range. <em>Echinops sphaerocephalus</em> typically inhabits dry, open, and disturbed habitats including roadsides, waste ground, rocky slopes, and steppe grasslands, where it is well adapted to poor, well-drained soils. It produces distinctive spherical, steel-blue flower heads that are highly attractive to pollinators, particularly bees and butterflies, making it a valued plant in native garden planting and ecological restoration. The species is not currently evaluated for conservation status. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. <em>Echinops sphaerocephalus</em> is a robust, spiny plant that can grow to considerable height and spreads readily in suitable open habitats. Its ornamental qualities and pollinator value have contributed to its deliberate planting in gardens and public green spaces beyond its native range.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden