Fly Agaric vs Saxifrage Rust

Amanita muscaria compared with Melampsora vernalis

Key Differences

• Fly Agaric is Least Concern while Saxifrage Rust is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	Saxifrage Rust
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Pucciniomycetes (Pucciniomycetes)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Pucciniales (Pucciniales)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Melampsoraceae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Melampsora
Species	Amanita muscaria	Melampsora vernalis

Evolutionary Relationship

Fly Agaric and Saxifrage Rust share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Basidiomycota. (Club Fungi)

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Saxifrage Rust

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	Saxifrage Rust
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).

Saxifrage Rust

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

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.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden