Clustered Domecap vs Common Globe-Thistle

Lyophyllum decastes compared with Echinops sphaerocephalus

Key Differences

• Clustered Domecap is Least Concern while Common Globe-Thistle is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clustered Domecap	Common Globe-Thistle
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Afrosoricida (Afrosoricida)
Family	Lyophyllaceae	Tenrecidae
Genus	Lyophyllum	Echinops
Species	Lyophyllum decastes	Echinops sphaerocephalus

Conservation Status

Clustered Domecap

LC — Least Concern

Common Globe-Thistle

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clustered Domecap	Common Globe-Thistle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Clustered Domecap

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (5 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil, Chile).

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).

Clustered Domecap

Lyophyllum decastes, the clustered domecap or fried chicken mushroom, is a robust saprotrophic or possibly mycorrhizal basidiomycete in the family Lyophyllaceae that produces large, densely clustered fruiting bodies at the base of dead hardwoods, stumps, or from buried wood and woody debris. The caps are grey-brown to tan, broadly convex to domed, often with wavy margins in crowded clusters. Gills are white to pallid, crowded, and sinuate. It is distributed across the northern hemisphere in broadleaf and mixed forests. L. decastes is edible and considered a choice food mushroom in parts of Europe and Japan, where its firm texture and mild flavor have earned it the English nickname 'fried chicken mushroom.' However, definitive identification requires care, as it can be confused with toxic lookalikes. Molecular studies have revealed that the concept of L. decastes may encompass multiple species or a species complex. The species is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN and is commonly encountered in autumn in temperate woodlands, parks, and roadsides across its wide range.

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 5 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States