Fly Agaric vs Hemlock Varnish Shelf

Amanita muscaria compared with Ganoderma tsugae

Key Differences

Fly Agaric is Least Concern while Hemlock Varnish Shelf is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	Hemlock Varnish Shelf
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Polyporales (Polyporales)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Polyporaceae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Ganoderma
Species	Amanita muscaria	Ganoderma tsugae

Evolutionary Relationship

Fly Agaric and Hemlock Varnish Shelf share a common ancestor at the Class level: Agaricomycetes. (Mushrooms)

View Class: Agaricomycetes

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Hemlock Varnish Shelf

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	Hemlock Varnish Shelf
Diet	Decomposer	—
Average Lifespan	1 years	—
Average Length	20 cm	—
Average Weight	100 g	—

Habitat & Geographic 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).

Hemlock Varnish Shelf

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

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.