Candleflame Lichen vs Fly Agaric

Candelaria concolor compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

Candleflame Lichen is Not Evaluated while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Candleflame Lichen	Fly Agaric
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Candelariomycetes (Candelariomycetes)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Candelariales (Candelariales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Candelariaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Candelaria	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Candelaria concolor	Amanita muscaria

Evolutionary Relationship

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

View Kingdom: Fungi

Conservation Status

Candleflame Lichen

NE — Not Evaluated

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Candleflame Lichen

Habitat

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

Range

Found in United States.

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).

Candleflame Lichen

The Candleflame Lichen (Candelaria concolor) is a species in the genus Candelaria. Native to North America, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

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.