Devil weed vs Fly Agaric

Sargassum horneri compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

Devil weed is Not Evaluated while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Devil weed	Fly Agaric
Kingdom	Chromista (Chromista)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Ochrophyta (Ochrophyta)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Phaeophyceae (Phaeophyceae)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Fucales (Fucales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Sargassaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Sargassum	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Sargassum horneri	Amanita muscaria

Conservation Status

Devil weed

NE — Not Evaluated

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

Devil weed

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Mexico, Taiwan, and 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).

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.