Gewöhnliche Kornrade vs Stieleiche

Agrostemma githago compared with Quercus robur

Key Differences

Gewöhnliche Kornrade is Critically Endangered while Stieleiche is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Gewöhnliche Kornrade	Stieleiche
Kingdom same	Plantae (Pflanzen)	Plantae (Pflanzen)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Caryophyllales (Nelkenartige)	Fagales (Buchenartige)
Family	Caryophyllaceae	Fagaceae (Beech Family)
Genus	Agrostemma	Quercus (Oaks)
Species	Agrostemma githago	Quercus robur

Evolutionary Relationship

Gewöhnliche Kornrade and Stieleiche share a common ancestor at the Class level: Magnoliopsida. (Dicots)

Ansehen Class: Magnoliopsida

Conservation Status

Gewöhnliche Kornrade

CR — Critically Endangered

Stieleiche

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Gewöhnliche Kornrade	Stieleiche
Diet	—	Autotroph
Average Lifespan	—	1000 years
Average Length	—	25.0 m
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Gewöhnliche Kornrade

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.

Stieleiche

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Lesotho, South Africa), Asia (Armenia, India), Europe (8 countries), North America (Canada, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia, New Zealand), and South America (4 countries).

Gewöhnliche Kornrade

<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.

Stieleiche

One of Europe's most important and widespread deciduous trees, the pedunculate oak can live over 1,000 years, reach 40 meters, and support the greatest biodiversity of any European tree species — over 2,300 species of insects, fungi, lichens, mosses, and birds directly depend on mature oaks. Found across Europe to western Asia in temperate forests, its hard, durable wood has been foundational to shipbuilding, architecture, and barrel making throughout history.