Brook-Side Feather-Moss vs Fly Agaric

Hygroamblystegium fluviatile compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

Brook-Side Feather-Moss is Critically Endangered while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Brook-Side Feather-Moss	Fly Agaric
Kingdom	Plantae (Plants)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Bryophyta	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Hypnales (Hypnales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Amblystegiaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Hygroamblystegium	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Hygroamblystegium fluviatile	Amanita muscaria

Conservation Status

Brook-Side Feather-Moss

CR — Critically Endangered

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Brook-Side Feather-Moss	Fly Agaric
Diet	—	Decomposer
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	20 cm
Average Weight	—	100 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Brook-Side Feather-Moss

Habitat

Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Norway, Portugal, and United States. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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).

Brook-Side Feather-Moss

The Brook-Side Feather-Moss (Hygroamblystegium fluviatile) is a species in the genus Hygroamblystegium. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits temperate broadleaf and mixed forests and Mediterranean forests and woodlands within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments 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.