clustered broomrape vs Common Fieldcap

Aphyllon fasciculatum compared with Agrocybe pediades

Key Differences

• clustered broomrape is Not Evaluated while Common Fieldcap is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	clustered broomrape	Common Fieldcap
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Lamiales (Lamiales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Orobanchaceae	Strophariaceae
Genus	Aphyllon	Agrocybe
Species	Aphyllon fasciculatum	Agrocybe pediades

Conservation Status

clustered broomrape

NE — Not Evaluated

Common Fieldcap

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	clustered broomrape	Common Fieldcap
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

clustered broomrape

Habitat

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

Range

Found in Canada.

Common Fieldcap

Habitat

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

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

clustered broomrape

Aphyllon fasciculatum, the clustered broomrape, is an obligate root parasite in the family Orobanchaceae native to western North America, ranging from British Columbia south through the western United States to Baja California, particularly in arid and semi-arid grasslands, sagebrush steppe, and chaparral. Like all broomrapes, it lacks chlorophyll and derives all water and nutrients from the roots of host plants, primarily composites (Asteraceae) such as sagebrush (Artemisia) and rabbitbrush (Ericameria). The plant produces a clustered arrangement of yellowish-purple to brownish tubular flowers emerging directly from the soil surface, giving the appearance of a dense cluster of floral spikes without any apparent above-ground vegetative structure. Germination is triggered by chemical signals from host roots. The species is considered an important component of native arid land ecosystems, though broomrapes are sometimes viewed as agricultural weeds where they parasitize crops. A. fasciculatum has not been formally evaluated for IUCN conservation status. The genus Aphyllon was recently split from the broader Orobanche to accommodate some New World species based on molecular evidence.

Common Fieldcap

The Common Fieldcap (<em>Agrocybe pediades</em>) is a saprotrophic fungus belonging to the genus Agrocybe within the family Strophariaceae. It typically produces small, tan to pale brown cap-shaped fruiting bodies and is often found growing in clusters or scattered on lawns, grassy areas, forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil-rich ecosystems. The species typically inhabits forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems, obtaining nutrients by breaking down dead organic matter. Its geographic range includes several European countries — Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden — as well as the United States in North America. <em>Agrocybe pediades</em> is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, reflecting its broad distribution and apparent stability. Biological traits of this species, including specific data on fruiting body size, lifespan, and ecological preferences, remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. Like other members of its genus, it typically fruits during warmer months and often appears after rainfall in nutrient-rich grassland and woodland habitats.