Birch Bristle Bracket vs Fly Agaric

Phellinus lundellii compared with Amanita muscaria

Key Differences

• Birch Bristle Bracket is Critically Endangered while Fly Agaric is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Birch Bristle Bracket	Fly Agaric
Kingdom same	Fungi (Fungi)	Fungi (Fungi)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)	Basidiomycota (Club Fungi)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)	Agaricomycetes (Mushrooms)
Order	Hymenochaetales (Hymenochaetales)	Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)
Family	Hymenochaetaceae	Agaricaceae (Agarics)
Genus	Phellinus	Amanita (Amanitas)
Species	Phellinus lundellii	Amanita muscaria

Evolutionary Relationship

Birch Bristle Bracket and Fly Agaric share a common ancestor at the Class level: Agaricomycetes. (Mushrooms)

Conservation Status

Birch Bristle Bracket

CR — Critically Endangered

Fly Agaric

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Birch Bristle Bracket	Fly Agaric
Diet	—	Decomposer
Average Lifespan	—	1 years
Average Length	—	20 cm
Average Weight	—	100 g

Habitat & Geographic Range

Birch Bristle Bracket

Habitat

Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests within the Indomalayan biogeographic realm.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Taiwan. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its 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).

Birch Bristle Bracket

The Birch Bristle Bracket (Phellinus lundellii) is a species in the genus Phellinus. It is currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Inhabits tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests within the Indomalayan biogeographic realm.

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