vs

Ciboria amentacea compared with Ciboria betulicola

Taxonomic Classification

Rank
Kingdom same	Fungi (菌界)	Fungi (菌界)
Phylum same	Ascomycota (子嚢菌門)	Ascomycota (子嚢菌門)
Class same	Leotiomycetes (Leotiomycetes)	Leotiomycetes (Leotiomycetes)
Order same	Helotiales (Helotiales)	Helotiales (Helotiales)
Family same	Sclerotiniaceae	Sclerotiniaceae
Genus same	Ciboria	Ciboria
Species	Ciboria amentacea	Ciboria betulicola

Evolutionary Relationship

and share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Ciboria.

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Norway and Sweden.

Ciboria amentacea is a small cup fungus in the family Sclerotiniaceae, found across temperate Europe. This inconspicuous discomycete produces tiny, stalked, cup-shaped apothecia that emerge in late winter to early spring, typically from the catkins (aments) of alder (Alnus) or willow (Salix) that have fallen into standing water or wet soil. The fruiting bodies are pale brownish to tan, rarely exceeding a few millimeters in diameter, and are easily overlooked. The species name amentacea derives from the Latin word for catkin, reflecting its substrate specificity. Ciboria amentacea is saprotrophic, decomposing plant material in riparian and wetland habitats, contributing to nutrient cycling in these sensitive ecosystems. It has not been formally assessed by the IUCN. The genus Ciboria belongs to the broader Sclerotiniaceae family, which also includes economically important plant pathogens; however, Ciboria species are generally not regarded as pathogenic. Records of this fungus are scattered across central and northern Europe, with the fruiting season heavily dependent on winter temperatures and snowmelt timing. Its early spring phenology makes it an important early food source for springtail and mite communities. Identification requires microscopic examination of spore morphology and paraphysis structure.

Ciboria betulicola is a small cup fungus in the family Sclerotiniaceae, found in temperate Europe. Like its close relative Ciboria betulae, this species is associated with birch (Betula) and fruits on fallen catkins or other birch reproductive material in moist woodland and riparian habitats. Its fruiting bodies are stalked discomycetes with the characteristic pale to brownish cup shape of the genus, typically emerging in late spring or early summer following catkin fall. The species has not been formally assessed by the IUCN. Ciboria betulicola is distinguished from the closely related Ciboria betulae and other congeners by a combination of spore morphology, ascocarp dimensions, and substrate details, with microscopic examination required for confident identification. Saprotrophic cup fungi of this type play important ecological roles in decomposing the fine organic material of woodland floors and riparian zones, facilitating nutrient return to the soil. Records of Ciboria betulicola are relatively sparse in the mycological literature, reflecting both its small size, brief fruiting season, and the general under-recording of discomycetes compared to larger macrofungi. Its distribution is thought to track birch woodland distribution across northern and central Europe, though documentation is incomplete. Molecular phylogenetic studies have helped clarify relationships within Ciboria and Sclerotiniaceae more broadly.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 2 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden