Common corncockle vs Castor Europeo

Agrostemma githago compared with Castor fiber

Key Differences

Common corncockle is Critically Endangered while Castor Europeo is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common corncockle	Castor Europeo
Kingdom	Plantae (planta)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Chordata (cordados)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Caryophyllales (Caryophyllales)	Rodentia (Rodents)
Family	Caryophyllaceae	Castoridae (Beavers)
Genus	Agrostemma	Castor (Beavers)
Species	Agrostemma githago	Castor fiber

Conservation Status

Common corncockle

CR — Critically Endangered

Castor Europeo

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common corncockle	Castor Europeo
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.

Castor Europeo

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (6 countries). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.

Castor Europeo

El castor europeo (Castor fiber) está clasificado como Vulnerable (VU) en la Lista Roja de la UICN. Enfrenta un alto riesgo de amenaza en estado silvestre, con poblaciones en declive y creciente presión sobre su hábitat.