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Amanita muscaria
Fly Agaric Why would a mushroom be named “fly agaric”? I couldn’t find a clear answer to this, but “fly” could refer to its historical use as a fly killer, since it contains ibotenic acid. Or it could refer to the delirium it induces if eaten. “Agaric” roughly translates to “mushroom”—it refers to a fungal fruiting body that has a cap that is clearly differentiated from the stalk, with gills on the underside of the cap. In any case, Amanita is attractive, common, and dangerous. Amanitas are the iconic toadstool, or poisonous mushroom. Identification: Caps are red (or orange or yellow) with white spots, 2-15" (6-39 cm) in diameter, and can reach 12" (30 cm) in height. There are many varieties of Amanitas—for a detailed key, see Michael Kuo’s at mushroomexpert.com. Edibility: Poisonous ... Depending on habitat and the amount ingested per body weight, effects can range from nausea and twitching to drowsiness, cholinergic crisis-like effects (low blood pressure, sweating and salivation), auditory and visual distortions, mood changes, euphoria, relaxation, ataxia, and loss of equilibrium. That’s if the effects are mild. Seizures, coma, and death can occur with stronger doses. The effects of a given dose vary enormously from person to person. There is no antidote. Despite the risks, many earlier peoples have consumed it for its psychoactive effects, a practice that continues to a limited extent even today. Online References:
Amanita muscaria on Mykoweb.com: the Fungi of California Amanita muscaria on Tom Volk's Fungi site, at the Department of Biology at the University of Wisconsin Amanita muscaria on Michael Kuo's MushroomExpert.com Amanita muscaria on Wikipedia Amanita muscaria on RogersMushrooms.com
Amanita muscaria description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 19 Feb 2012. © FloraFinder.com. All rights reserved. |
9/25/2011 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Goroton, MA
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10/16/2011 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Groton, MA
9/25/2011 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Ctr, Goroton, MA
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Fatalities from eating these mushrooms are not as
common as once believed, but they nevertheless cause a wide range of unpredictable symptoms.
From Wikipedia:
