vs common greasewort

Clitocybe subalutacea compared with Aneura pinguis

Key Differences

  • is Data Deficient while common greasewort is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank common greasewort
Kingdom Fungi (Fungi) Plantae (Plants)
Phylum Basidiomycota (Club Fungi) Marchantiophyta (liverwort)
Class Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms) Jungermanniopsida (Jungermanniopsida)
Order Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms) Metzgeriales (Metzgeriales)
Family Tricholomataceae Aneuraceae
Genus Clitocybe Aneura
Species Clitocybe subalutacea Aneura pinguis

Conservation Status

DD — Data Deficient

common greasewort

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute common greasewort
Diet
Average Lifespan
Average Length
Average Weight

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

common greasewort

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil, Colombia).

Clitocybe subalutacea is a pale, leather-colored agaric fungus in the family Tricholomataceae found across temperate European woodlands and semi-open habitats. The species epithet subalutacea derives from Latin for 'somewhat leather-colored,' referencing the cap's pale tan to buff coloration distinguishing it from more purely white or grey species in the genus. It fruits in autumn among leaf litter in deciduous and mixed forests, occasionally in grassy woodland clearings, acting as a saprotrophic decomposer of accumulated organic matter. The fruiting body structure is characteristic of Clitocybe: a shallowly depressed to funnel-shaped cap, crowded decurrent gills, and a slender cylindrical stipe. Microscopic spore morphology and chemical reactions assist in confirming identity in this taxonomically complex genus. Like most Clitocybe species, C. subalutacea contributes to decomposer communities in temperate forests, where the collective activity of many fungal species drives litter breakdown and nutrient release, underpinning forest productivity and soil health across European woodland ecosystems.

common greasewort

<em>Aneura pinguis</em>, commonly known as common greasewort, is a liverwort belonging to the genus Aneura within the family Aneuraceae. This cryptogamic plant inhabits ecosystems across Asia, Europe, and North America, thriving in moist or waterlogged environments. Its range encompasses Taiwan in Asia, six European countries, the United States in North America, and Brazil and Colombia in South America, indicating a broad geographic distribution across multiple continents. Common greasewort is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. The species typically forms flat, ribbon-like thalli in damp habitats such as stream banks, wet rocks, and boggy ground. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

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