Medusa Brittlestem vs Moor-Zärtling

Psathyrella caput-medusae compared with Psathyrella sphagnicola

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Medusa Brittlestem	Moor-Zärtling
Kingdom same	Fungi (Pilze)	Fungi (Pilze)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Ständerpilze)	Basidiomycota (Ständerpilze)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order same	Agaricales (Champignonartige)	Agaricales (Champignonartige)
Family same	Psathyrellaceae	Psathyrellaceae
Genus same	Psathyrella	Psathyrella
Species	Psathyrella caput-medusae	Psathyrella sphagnicola

Evolutionary Relationship

Medusa Brittlestem and Moor-Zärtling share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Psathyrella.

Conservation Status

Medusa Brittlestem

EN — Endangered

Moor-Zärtling

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Medusa Brittlestem	Moor-Zärtling
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Medusa Brittlestem

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Moor-Zärtling

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Moor-Zärtling

Psathyrella sphagnicola is a small, fragile agaric fungus in the family Psathyrellaceae, assessed as Endangered (EN). It grows in association with Sphagnum moss in peatbog and mire habitats, which have declined significantly due to drainage and land conversion. Its endangered status reflects the critical loss of undisturbed mire ecosystems.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden