Brown Ear vs Coastal Ragweed

Otidea cochleata compared with Ambrosia hispida

Key Differences

• Brown Ear is Vulnerable while Coastal Ragweed is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Brown Ear	Coastal Ragweed
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Pezizomycetes (Pezizomycetes)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Pezizales (Pezizales)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Otideaceae	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Otidea	Ambrosia
Species	Otidea cochleata	Ambrosia hispida

Conservation Status

Brown Ear

VU — Vulnerable

Coastal Ragweed

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Brown Ear	Coastal Ragweed
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Brown Ear

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), and North America (United States). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Coastal Ragweed

Habitat

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

Range

Found in Cuba.

Brown Ear

The Brown Ear (Otidea cochleata) is a species in the genus Otidea. It is currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Coastal Ragweed

Coastal ragweed (Ambrosia hispida) is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae, native to the coastal dunes, sandy beaches, and cays of Cuba, the Bahamas, and the wider Caribbean region. It grows in pioneer beach and dune vegetation, often forming spreading colonies that help stabilise loose coastal sands. Like other members of the genus Ambrosia, it bears inconspicuous greenish-white flowers arranged in racemes; male flower heads produce wind-dispersed pollen that can trigger allergic rhinitis in sensitive individuals. The deeply lobed, hispid leaves are adapted to reflect intense solar radiation and tolerate salt spray. Coastal ragweed plays an ecological role in early dune succession, binding sand and enabling other plant species to establish. The genus is widespread globally, with several Ambrosia species considered noxious weeds in agricultural settings, though Ambrosia hispida is restricted to its native Caribbean coastal range. The IUCN assesses it as Least Concern, reflecting adequate population size across its Caribbean coastal distribution. Pressure from coastal development and tourism infrastructure poses a localised threat to dune communities it inhabits.