Common Tarcrust vs Polyphyllous Globe Thistle

Diatrype stigma compared with Echinops foliosus

Key Differences

• Common Tarcrust is Not Evaluated while Polyphyllous Globe Thistle is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Tarcrust	Polyphyllous Globe Thistle
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Sordariomycetes (Sordariomycetes)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Xylariales (Xylariales)	Afrosoricida (Afrosoricida)
Family	Diatrypaceae	Tenrecidae
Genus	Diatrype	Echinops
Species	Diatrype stigma	Echinops foliosus

Conservation Status

Common Tarcrust

NE — Not Evaluated

Polyphyllous Globe Thistle

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Tarcrust	Polyphyllous Globe Thistle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Tarcrust

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden.

Polyphyllous Globe Thistle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Common Tarcrust

<em>Diatrype stigma</em>, the common tarcrust, is a saprotrophic fungus in the family Diatrypaceae, found across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden, as well as more broadly in Europe and temperate regions globally. It grows as a crust-like, charcoal-black stromata on the dead bark and branches of deciduous hardwoods, particularly hazel, beech, and alder. The fruiting bodies are typically flat to slightly raised, dark gray to black patches that contain numerous embedded perithecia in which ascospores are produced. This fungus plays an important ecological role as a decomposer, breaking down dead woody material and recycling nutrients in forest ecosystems. It is Not Evaluated on the IUCN Red List; given its broad distribution on common substrates, it is generally considered widespread. The species reproduces via wind-dispersed ascospores released from the perithecia. Diet, as a saprotrophic organism, consists of dead organic woody matter. Biological traits such as colony growth rates, spore output, and longevity remain poorly documented in standardized quantitative assessments.