Clouded Agaric vs Polyphyllous Globe Thistle

Clitocybe nebularis compared with Echinops foliosus

Key Differences

Clouded Agaric is Least Concern while Polyphyllous Globe Thistle is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Clouded Agaric	Polyphyllous Globe Thistle
Kingdom	Fungi (真菌界)	Animalia (动物界)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (担子菌门)	Chordata (脊索动物门)
Class	Agaricomycetes (傘菌綱)	Mammalia (哺乳動物)
Order	Agaricales (伞菌目)	Afrosoricida (非洲蝟目)
Family	Tricholomataceae	Tenrecidae
Genus	Clitocybe	Echinops
Species	Clitocybe nebularis	Echinops foliosus

Conservation Status

Clouded Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Polyphyllous Globe Thistle

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Clouded Agaric	Polyphyllous Globe Thistle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Clouded Agaric

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, and United States.

Polyphyllous Globe Thistle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Clouded Agaric

The clouded agaric (Clitocybe nebularis, syn. Lepista nebularis) is a large, robust saprotrophic mushroom in the family Tricholomataceae found across temperate broadleaved and mixed forests of Europe and North America. It produces pale grey to buff fruiting bodies with broad, wavy caps up to 20 cm diameter, crowded, slightly decurrent gills, and a stout stipe, typically emerging in large fairy rings or scattered groups in autumn woodland settings. The common name 'clouded' refers to the greyish, misty coloration of the cap surface. Though historically eaten in parts of Europe and considered edible when thoroughly cooked, C. nebularis is now known to contain toxic compounds and a heat-labile gastrointestinal toxin that causes illness in some individuals, and it is associated with documented poisoning cases. Its strong mealy odor is distinctive. The species is widespread and common across European deciduous forests, fruiting reliably in autumn and forming an important component of the saprotrophic fungal community responsible for decomposing accumulated leaf litter and organic matter in temperate forest ecosystems.