Fly Agaric vs New Forest Beech-Lichen

Amanita muscaria compared with Enterographa elaborata

Key Differences

Fly Agaric is Least Concern while New Forest Beech-Lichen is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	New Forest Beech-Lichen
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Arthoniomycetes (Arthoniomycetes)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Arthoniales (Arthoniales)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Roccellaceae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Enterographa
Species	Amanita muscaria	Enterographa elaborata

Evolutionary Relationship

Fly Agaric and New Forest Beech-Lichen share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Fungi. (Fungi)

View Kingdom: Fungi

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

New Forest Beech-Lichen

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	New Forest Beech-Lichen
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).

New Forest Beech-Lichen

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Portugal. Currently classified as Critically Endangered 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.