Alcock's Spruce vs Fly Agaric

Picea alcoquiana compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

• Alcock's Spruce is Near Threatened while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Alcock's Spruce	Fly Agaric
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Coniferophyta (Conifers)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Pinopsida (Conifers)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Pinales (Pines & Allies)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Pinaceae (Pine Family)	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Picea	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Picea alcoquiana	Amanita muscaria

Conservation Status

Alcock's Spruce

NT — Near Threatened

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Alcock's Spruce	Fly Agaric
Diet	—	Decomposer
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	20 cm
Average Weight	—	100 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Alcock's Spruce

Habitat

Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

Fly Agaric

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand), and South America (Brazil, Chile, Colombia).

Alcock's Spruce

The Alcock's Spruce (Picea alcoquiana) is a species in the genus Picea. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

Fly Agaric

Among the most iconic and recognizable fungi on Earth, fly agaric mushrooms display striking red caps with white flecked warts across boreal forests of the Northern Hemisphere. Despite their fairy-tale appearance, they contain potent psychoactive compounds including muscimol and ibotenic acid and are moderately toxic. They form critical mycorrhizal symbioses with birch, pine, and spruce trees, exchanging mineral nutrients for carbon and playing essential roles in boreal forest nutrient cycling.