Fly Agaric vs Small Adder's-Tongue

Amanita muscaria compared with Ophioglossum azoricum

Key Differences

Fly Agaric is Least Concern while Small Adder's-Tongue is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	Small Adder's-Tongue
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Tracheophyta
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Polypodiopsida (Polypodiopsida)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Ophioglossales (Ophioglossales)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Ophioglossaceae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Ophioglossum
Species	Amanita muscaria	Ophioglossum azoricum

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Small Adder's-Tongue

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	Small Adder's-Tongue
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).

Small Adder's-Tongue

Habitat

Inhabits boreal forests and taiga within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. 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.