vs

Clitocybe augeana compared with Clitocybe foetens

Key Differences

• is Not Evaluated while is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order same	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family same	Tricholomataceae	Tricholomataceae
Genus same	Clitocybe	Clitocybe
Species	Clitocybe augeana	Clitocybe foetens

Evolutionary Relationship

and share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Clitocybe.

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

DD — Data Deficient

Physical Characteristics

Attribute
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Norway, and Sweden.

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Clitocybe augeana is a saprotrophic agaric fungus in the family Tricholomataceae native to Northern European forests and grasslands, with principal records from Scandinavia. It produces modest fruiting bodies with the genus-typical depressed to funnel-shaped cap, whitish to pale greyish coloration, and decurrent gills running down the stipe. Like many Clitocybe species, it emerges during autumn in habitats ranging from deciduous and mixed woodland floors to grassy clearings and forest margins, where it decomposes accumulated leaf litter and organic matter. The taxonomy of smaller, pale Clitocybe species has undergone considerable revision through molecular phylogenetic studies, with several species previously grouped together now recognized as distinct entities based on spore morphology, habitat preferences, and DNA sequence data. C. augeana contributes to the rich diversity of macrofungi documented in Scandinavian boreal and nemoral forests, ecosystems recognized for their exceptional fungal species richness and ecological importance in nutrient cycling processes.

Clitocybe foetens is a notably malodorous agaric fungus in the family Tricholomataceae, with the species epithet foetens Latin for 'stinking' or 'fetid,' reflecting its distinctive unpleasant odor that sets it apart from many related species. It occurs across temperate European forests, particularly in deciduous and mixed woodlands, where it fruits among leaf litter and organic debris during autumn. The cap is convex to shallowly depressed, pale brownish to greyish-buff, with decurrent gills and a slender stipe bearing the characteristic Clitocybe morphology. The strong, disagreeable smell is likely produced by volatile compounds and serves as a chemical signal, though whether it deters or attracts invertebrates and other fauna varies by compound chemistry. Like other genus members, C. foetens is a saprotrophic decomposer contributing to litter breakdown in temperate forest ecosystems. The fetid odor also serves as a useful distinguishing character for mycologists working in this taxonomically complex genus of small, pale-capped agarics found throughout European woodland habitats.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden