Common corncockle vs

Agrostemma githago compared with Pseudoperonospora urticae

Key Differences

Common corncockle is Critically Endangered while is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common corncockle
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Chromista (Chromista)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Oomycota (Oomycetes)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Peronosporea (Peronosporea)
Order	Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)	Peronosporales (Peronosporales)
Family	Caryophyllaceae	Peronosporaceae
Genus	Agrostemma	Pseudoperonospora
Species	Agrostemma githago	Pseudoperonospora urticae

Conservation Status

Common corncockle

CR — Critically Endangered

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common corncockle
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.

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

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.

Pseudoperonospora urticae is an obligate biotrophic oomycete downy mildew pathogen in the family Peronosporaceae, infecting stinging nettle (Urtica) species. It causes yellowing and chlorosis of leaves with characteristic grayish sporulation on the undersurface during moist conditions. Its host specificity to nettles makes it an interesting model for studying coevolution between oomycete pathogens and their wild hosts.