Boreal Beard Lichen vs Fly Agaric

Usnea subfloridana compared with Amanita muscaria

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Boreal Beard Lichen	Fly Agaric
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Lecanorales (Lecanorales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Parmeliaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Usnea	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Usnea subfloridana	Amanita muscaria

Evolutionary Relationship

Boreal Beard Lichen and Fly Agaric share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Fungi. (Fungi)

View Kingdom: Fungi

Conservation Status

Boreal Beard Lichen

LC — Least Concern

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Boreal Beard Lichen	Fly Agaric
Diet	—	Decomposer
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	20 cm
Average Weight	—	100 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Boreal Beard Lichen

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Colombia).

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).

Boreal Beard Lichen

The Boreal Beard Lichen (Usnea subfloridana) is a species in the genus Usnea. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Native to Asia and Europe and North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

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.