Fly Agaric vs jagged germanderwort

Amanita muscaria compared with Riccardia chamedryfolia

Key Differences

Fly Agaric is Least Concern while jagged germanderwort is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	jagged germanderwort
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Marchantiophyta (liverwort)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Jungermanniopsida (Jungermanniopsida)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Metzgeriales (Metzgeriales)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Aneuraceae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Riccardia
Species	Amanita muscaria	Riccardia chamedryfolia

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

jagged germanderwort

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	jagged germanderwort
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).

jagged germanderwort

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (6 countries), and South America (Brazil). Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

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.