Common Currant vs Common Fieldcap

Ribes rubrum compared with Agrocybe pediades

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Currant	Common Fieldcap
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Saxifragales (Saxifragales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Grossulariaceae	Strophariaceae
Genus	Ribes	Agrocybe
Species	Ribes rubrum	Agrocybe pediades

Conservation Status

Common Currant

LC — Least Concern

Common Fieldcap

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Currant	Common Fieldcap
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Currant

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Armenia, Japan, Turkey), Europe (22 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and South America (Brazil).

Common Fieldcap

Habitat

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

Range

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

Common Currant

<em>Ribes rubrum</em>, commonly known as common currant or red currant, is a deciduous shrub in the family Grossulariaceae. It is native to western Europe and parts of Asia and has been widely cultivated and naturalized across North America and South America. Common currant typically grows in moist, fertile soils in woodland edges, hedgerows, riverbanks, and disturbed habitats. The species produces clusters of small, translucent red berries that are rich in vitamin C and commonly used in jams, jellies, juices, and desserts. Its lobed leaves resemble those of maple and turn yellow in autumn. The flowers are small and inconspicuous, borne in pendulous racemes in spring. Red currant is an important food source for birds and small mammals. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 5 countries:

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