Fly Agaric vs Herbstlorchel

Amanita muscaria compared with Helvella crispa

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Fly Agaric	Herbstlorchel
Kingdom same	Fungi (Pilze)	Fungi (Pilze)
Phylum	Basidiomycota (Ständerpilze)	Ascomycota (Schlauchpilze)
Class	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Pezizomycetes (Pezizomycetes)
Order	Agaricales (Champignonartige)	Pezizales (Pezizales)
Family	Agaricaceae (Agarics)	Helvellaceae
Genus	Amanita (Amanitas)	Helvella
Species	Amanita muscaria	Helvella crispa

Evolutionary Relationship

Fly Agaric and Herbstlorchel share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Fungi. (Pilze)

Conservation Status

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Herbstlorchel

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Fly Agaric	Herbstlorchel
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).

Herbstlorchel

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, and United States.

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 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States