Catkin Yew vs Fly Agaric

Amentotaxus argotaenia compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

• Catkin Yew is Near Threatened while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Catkin Yew	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	Taxaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Amentotaxus	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Amentotaxus argotaenia	Amanita muscaria

Conservation Status

Catkin Yew

NT — Near Threatened

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Catkin Yew

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).

Catkin Yew

The Catkin Yew (Amentotaxus argotaenia) is a species in the genus Amentotaxus. 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.