Collared Parachute vs Orange Pinwheel

Marasmius rotula compared with Marasmius siccus

Key Differences

• Collared Parachute is Least Concern while Orange Pinwheel is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Collared Parachute	Orange Pinwheel
Kingdom same	Fungi (균계)	Fungi (균계)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (담자균류)	Basidiomycota (담자균류)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (주름버섯강)	Agaricomycetes (주름버섯강)
Order same	Agaricales (주름버섯목)	Agaricales (주름버섯목)
Family same	Marasmiaceae	Marasmiaceae
Genus same	Marasmius	Marasmius
Species	Marasmius rotula	Marasmius siccus

Evolutionary Relationship

Collared Parachute and Orange Pinwheel share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Marasmius.

Conservation Status

Collared Parachute

LC — Least Concern

Orange Pinwheel

NT — Near Threatened

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Collared Parachute	Orange Pinwheel
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Collared Parachute

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (4 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Brazil).

Orange Pinwheel

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, and United States. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Collared Parachute

The Collared Parachute, known scientifically as <em>Marasmius rotula</em>, is a small saprotrophic fungus belonging to the family Marasmiaceae within the order Agaricales. <em>Marasmius rotula</em> is characterised by its distinctive wheel-like or parachute-shaped cap, which typically features radial gill-like ridges connected to a collar around the stipe rather than attaching directly to it — a feature that gives the species both its common and scientific names. This species typically grows on decomposing leaf litter, dead woody material, and forest floors in deciduous and mixed woodland. It is reported to occur in Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. As a decomposer, <em>Marasmius rotula</em> plays a role in nutrient cycling within forest ecosystems. Detailed biological traits including typical lifespan measures and physical dimensions are poorly documented for this species in available literature. The Collared Parachute is currently assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States