Fly Agaric vs Welsh Bristle-moss

Amanita muscaria compared with Orthotrichum cambrense

Key Differences

Fly Agaric is Least Concern while Welsh Bristle-moss is Data Deficient.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	Welsh Bristle-moss
Kingdom	Fungi (Fungi)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Bryophyta
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Bryopsida (Bryopsida)
Order	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)	Orthotrichales (Orthotrichales)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Orthotrichaceae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Orthotrichum
Species	Amanita muscaria	Orthotrichum cambrense

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Welsh Bristle-moss

DD — Data Deficient

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	Welsh Bristle-moss
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).

Welsh Bristle-moss

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Found in Norway.

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.