Common corncockle vs spanish catchfly

Agrostemma githago compared with Silene otites

Key Differences

• Common corncockle is Critically Endangered while spanish catchfly is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common corncockle	spanish catchfly
Kingdom same	Plantae (植物)	Plantae (植物)
Phylum same	Magnoliophyta (被子植物門)	Magnoliophyta (被子植物門)
Class same	Magnoliopsida (モクレン綱)	Magnoliopsida (モクレン綱)
Order same	Caryophyllales (ナデシコ目)	Caryophyllales (ナデシコ目)
Family same	Caryophyllaceae	Caryophyllaceae
Genus	Agrostemma	Silene
Species	Agrostemma githago	Silene otites

Evolutionary Relationship

Common corncockle and spanish catchfly share a common ancestor at the Family level: Caryophyllaceae.

Conservation Status

Common corncockle

CR — Critically Endangered

spanish catchfly

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common corncockle	spanish catchfly
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.

spanish catchfly

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden