Common corncockle vs Downy Safflower

Agrostemma githago compared with Carthamus lanatus

Key Differences

Common corncockle is Critically Endangered while Downy Safflower is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common corncockle	Downy Safflower
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)	Asterales (Daisies & Sunflowers)
Family	Caryophyllaceae	Asteraceae (Daisy Family)
Genus	Agrostemma	Carthamus
Species	Agrostemma githago	Carthamus lanatus

Evolutionary Relationship

Common corncockle and Downy Safflower share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

View Class: Magnoliopsida

Conservation Status

Common corncockle

CR — Critically Endangered

Downy Safflower

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common corncockle	Downy Safflower
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common corncockle

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including montane grasslands and shrublands, tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, and temperate coniferous forests, among 13 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Lesotho), Asia (7 countries), Europe (24 countries), North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Brazil, Chile). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Downy Safflower

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Japan), Europe (15 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (Brazil, Chile).

Common corncockle

<em>Agrostemma githago</em>, commonly known as common corncockle, is an annual flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. Once a widespread weed of cereal crops across Europe, Asia, and beyond, this species is now Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to the dramatic decline caused by modern agricultural practices, particularly improved grain cleaning and herbicide use. Corncockle is a tall, slender plant covered in silky white hairs, bearing large, solitary pink to purple flowers with distinctive dark veining. Its seeds contain toxic saponin compounds called githagins, which historically contaminated grain supplies. The species now survives primarily in wildflower conservation areas, seed banks, and traditional farmland conservation schemes. It typically grows in open, disturbed arable soils with full sun exposure. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.