Fly Agaric vs Palmate Germanderwort

Amanita muscaria compared with Riccardia palmata

Key Differences

Fly Agaric is Least Concern while Palmate Germanderwort is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	Palmate 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 palmata

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Palmate Germanderwort

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	Palmate 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).

Palmate Germanderwort

Habitat

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

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Taiwan), Europe (5 countries), and North America (United States). 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.