Blue Cycad vs Fly Agaric

Encephalartos nubimontanus compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

• Blue Cycad is Extinct in the Wild while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Blue Cycad	Fly Agaric
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Tracheophyta	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Cycadopsida (Cycadopsida)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Cycadales (Cycadales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Zamiaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Encephalartos	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Encephalartos nubimontanus	Amanita muscaria

Conservation Status

Blue Cycad

EW — Extinct in the Wild

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Blue Cycad	Fly Agaric
Diet	—	Decomposer
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	20 cm
Average Weight	—	100 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Blue Cycad

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).

Blue Cycad

The Blue Cycad (Encephalartos nubimontanus) is a species in the genus Encephalartos. It is currently classified as Extinct in the Wild on the IUCN Red List. As a member of the genus Encephalartos, it shares ecological traits with closely related species.

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.