Amanita

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Amanita
Fliegenpilz-1.jpg
Amanita muscaria
Albin Schmalfuß, 1869
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Amanitaceae
Genus: Amanita
Pers. (1794)
Type species
Amanita muscaria
(L.) Lam. (1783)
Diversity
c. 600 species
Synonyms

AmanitopsisRoze

The genus Amanita contains about 600 species of agarics, including some of the most toxic known mushrooms found worldwide, as well as some well-regarded edible species (and many species of unknown edibility). The genus is responsible for approximately 95% of fatalities resulting from mushroom poisoning, with the death cap accounting for about 50% on its own. The most potent toxin present in these mushrooms is α-Amanitin .

Contents

The genus also contains many edible mushrooms, but mycologists discourage mushroom hunters, other than experts, from selecting any of these for human consumption. Nonetheless, in some cultures, the larger local edible species of Amanita are mainstays of the markets in the local growing season. Samples of this are Amanita zambiana and other fleshy species in central Africa, A. basii and similar species in Mexico, A. caesarea and the "Blusher" A. rubescens in Europe, and A. chepangiana in Southeast Asia. Other species are used for colouring sauces, such as the red A. jacksonii , with a range from eastern Canada to eastern Mexico.

Taxonomy

The very recognizable fly agaric Fly agaric.png
The very recognizable fly agaric

The genus Amanita was first published with its current meaning by Christian Hendrik Persoon in 1797. [1] Under the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, Persoon's concept of Amanita, with Amanita muscaria (L.) Pers. as the type species, has been officially conserved against the older Amanita Boehm (1760), which is considered a synonym of Agaricus L. [2]

Etymology

The name is possibly derived from Amanus (Ancient Greek : Ἁμανός), a mountain in Cilicia, or from Amantia, an ancient city in the transboundary region between Epirus or southern Illyria in antiquity.

Toxicity

A. phalloides, the death cap Amanita phalloides young.jpg
A. phalloides , the death cap

Several members of the section Phalloidieae are notable for their toxicity, containing toxins known as amatoxins, which can cause liver failure and death. These include the death cap A. phalloides ; species known as destroying angels, including A. virosa , A. bisporigera and A. ocreata ; and the fool's mushroom, A. verna .

More recently, a series in the subgenus Lepidella has been found to cause acute kidney failure, including A. smithiana of northwestern North America, A. pseudoporphyria of Japan, and A. proxima of southern Europe. [3] [4]

Edibility

A. caesarea (edible) Amanite Oronge 01.jpg
A. caesarea (edible)

Although many species of Amanita are edible, including all of sect. Caesareae and sect. Vaginatae (together comprising hundreds of species), many fungi experts advise against eating a member of Amanita unless the species is known with absolute certainty. [5] Because so many species within this genus are so deadly toxic, if a specimen is identified incorrectly, consumption may cause extreme sickness and possibly death.

Edible

Edible species of Amanita include Amanita fulva , Amanita vaginata (grisette), Amanita calyptrata (coccoli), Amanita crocea , Amanita rubescens (blusher), Amanita caesarea (Caesar's mushroom), and Amanita jacksonii (American Caesar's mushroom).

Inedible

Inedible species of Amanita include Amanita albocreata (ringless panther), Amanita atkinsoniana , Amanita citrina (false death cap), Amanita excelsa , Amanita flavorubescens, [6] Amanita franchetii , Amanita longipes , Amanita onusta , Amanita rhopalopus , Amanita silvicola, [7] Amanita sinicoflava , Amanita spreta , and Amanita volvata .

Poisonous

Poisonous species include Amanita brunnescens ,, Amanita cokeri (Coker's amanita), Amanita crenulata , Amanita farinosa (eastern American floury amanita), Amanita frostiana , Amanita muscaria (fly agaric), Amanita pantherina (panther cap), and Amanita porphyria , but not Amanita ceciliae .

Deadly poisonous

Deadly poisonous species include Amanita abrupta , Amanita arocheae , Amanita bisporigera (eastern NA destroying angel), Amanita exitialis (Guangzhou destroying angel), Amanita magnivelaris , Amanita ocreata (western NA destroying angel), Amanita phalloides (death cap), Amanita proxima , Amanita smithiana , Amanita subjunquillea (East Asian death cap), Amanita verna (fool's mushroom), and Amanita virosa (European destroying angel). [8]

Psychoactive species

Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the fly agaric, contains the psychoactive compound ibotenic acid. 2006-10-25 Amanita muscaria crop.jpg
Amanita muscaria , commonly known as the fly agaric, contains the psychoactive compound ibotenic acid.

Amanita muscaria

Amanita muscaria was widely used as an entheogen by many of the indigenous peoples of Siberia. Its use was known among almost all of the Uralic-speaking peoples of western Siberia and the Paleosiberian-speaking peoples of the Russian Far East. There are only isolated reports of A. muscaria use among the Tungusic and Turkic peoples of central Siberia and it is believed that on the whole entheogenic use of A. muscaria was not practiced by these peoples. [9]

Amanita pantherina

Muscimol (also known as pantherine) is an isoxazole. Pantherine is named after Amanita pantherina. Muscimol chemical structure.svg
Muscimol (also known as pantherine) is an isoxazole. Pantherine is named after Amanita pantherina.

Amanita pantherina contains the psychoactive compound muscimol, [10] but is used as an entheogen much less often than its much more distinguishable relative A. muscaria.

Others

Other species identified as containing psychoactive substances include:

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Amanita muscaria</i> Species of fungus in the genus Amanita

Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the fly agaric or fly amanita, is a basidiomycete of the genus Amanita. It is a large white-gilled, white-spotted, and usually red mushroom.

<i>Amanita phalloides</i> Poisonous mushroom (death cap)

Amanita phalloides, commonly known as the death cap, is a deadly poisonous basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita. Widely distributed across Europe, but introduced to other parts of the world since the late twentieth century, A. phalloides forms ectomycorrhizas with various broadleaved trees. In some cases, the death cap has been introduced to new regions with the cultivation of non-native species of oak, chestnut, and pine. The large fruiting bodies (mushrooms) appear in summer and autumn; the caps are generally greenish in colour with a white stipe and gills. The cap colour is variable, including white forms, and is thus not a reliable identifier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Destroying angel</span> Deadly poisonous fungus

The name destroying angel applies to several similar, closely related species of deadly all-white mushrooms in the genus Amanita. They are Amanita virosa in Europe and A. bisporigera and A. ocreata in eastern and western North America, respectively. Another European species of Amanita referred to as the destroying angel, Amanita verna - also referred to as the 'Fool's mushroom' - was first described in France in 1780.

<i>Amanita pantherina</i> Species of fungus

Amanita pantherina, also known as the panther cap, false blusher, and the panther amanita due to its similarity to the true blusher, is a species of fungus found in Eurasia with poisonous and psychoactive properties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mushroom poisoning</span> Harmful effects from ingestion of toxic substances present in a mushroom

Mushroom poisoning is poisoning resulting from the ingestion of mushrooms that contain toxic substances. Symptoms can vary from slight gastrointestinal discomfort to death in about 10 days. Mushroom toxins are secondary metabolites produced by the fungus.

<i>Amanita virosa</i> Species of fungus

Amanita virosa, commonly known in Europe as the destroying angel or the European destroying angel amanita, is a deadly poisonous basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita. Occurring in Europe, A. virosa associates with various deciduous and coniferous trees. The large fruiting bodies appear in summer and autumn; the caps, stipes and gills are all white in colour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muscimol</span> Chemical compound

Muscimol is one of the principal psychoactive constituents of Amanita muscaria and related species of mushroom. Muscimol is a potent and selective orthosteric agonist for the GABAA receptor and displays sedative-hypnotic, depressant and hallucinogenic psychoactivity. This colorless or white solid is classified as an isoxazole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanitaceae</span> Family of fungi

The Amanitaceae is a family of mushroom-forming fungi. Amanita Pers. is one of the most speciose and best-known fungal genera. The family, also commonly called the amanita family, is in order Agaricales, the gilled mushrooms. The family consists primarily of the large genus Amanita, but also includes the smaller genera Amarrendia, Catatrama, Limacella, Limacellopsis, Saproamanita, Torrendia and Zhuliangomyces. Both Amarrendia and Torrendia are considered to be synonymous with Amanita but appear quite different because they are secotioid.

<i>Amanita caesarea</i> Species of fungus

Amanita caesarea, commonly known as Caesar's mushroom, is a highly regarded edible mushroom in the genus Amanita, native to southern Europe and North Africa. While it was first described by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1772, this mushroom was a known favorite of early rulers of the Roman Empire.

<i>Amanita verna</i> Species of fungus

Amanita verna, commonly known as the fool's mushroom or the spring destroying angel, is a deadly poisonous basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita. Occurring in Europe in spring, A. verna associates with various deciduous and coniferous trees. The caps, stipes and gills are all white in colour.

<i>Amanita ocreata</i> Species of poisonous fungus in the genus Amanita

Amanita ocreata, commonly known as the death angel, destroying angel, angel of death or more precisely western North American destroying angel, is a deadly poisonous basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita. The large fruiting bodies generally appear in spring; the cap may be white or ochre and often develops a brownish centre, while the stipe, ring, gill and volva are all white. A. ocreata resembles several edible species commonly consumed by humans, increasing the risk of accidental poisoning. Mature fruiting bodies can be confused with the edible A. velosa, A. lanei or Volvopluteus gloiocephalus, while immature specimens may be difficult to distinguish from edible Agaricus mushrooms or puffballs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amanita muscaria var. guessowii</span> Variety of fungi

Amanita chrysoblema yellow-orange variant, commonly known as the American yellow fly agaric, is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Amanita. It is one of several varieties of muscaroid fungi, all commonly known as fly agarics or fly amanitas.

<i>Amanita persicina</i> Species of fungus

Amanita persicina, commonly known as the peach-colored fly agaric, is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Amanita with a peach-colored center. Until c. 2015, the fungus was believed to be a variety of A. muscaria.

<i>Amanita bisporigera</i> Poisonous species of fungus in the family Amanitaceae endemic to North America

Amanita bisporigera is a deadly poisonous species of fungus in the family Amanitaceae. It is commonly known as the eastern destroying angel amanita, the eastern North American destroying angel or just as the destroying angel, although the fungus shares this latter name with three other lethal white Amanita species, A. ocreata, A. verna and A. virosa. The mushroom has a smooth white cap that can reach up to 10 centimetres across and a stipe up to 14 cm tall with a white skirt-like ring near the top. The bulbous stipe base is covered with a membranous sac-like volva. The white gills are free from attachment to the stalk and crowded closely together. As the species name suggests, A. bisporigera typically bears two spores on the basidia, although this characteristic is not immutable. A. bisporigera closely resembles a few other white amanitas, including the equally deadly A. virosa and A. verna.

<i>Amanita regalis</i> Species of fungus

Amanita regalis, commonly known as the royal fly agaric or the king of Sweden Amanita, is a species of fungus in the family Amanitaceae. A. regalis has a scabby liver-brown cap and a stem which is yellow-ochre at the base, with patches or rings of patches. The fruit bodies somewhat resemble the smaller A. muscaria, which it was formerly regarded as a variety of.

<i>Amanita exitialis</i> Species of fungus

Amanita exitialis, also known as the Guangzhou destroying angel, is a mushroom of the large genus Amanita. It is distributed in eastern Asia, and probably also in India where it has been misidentified as A. verna. Deadly poisonous, it is a member of section Phalloideae and related to the death cap A. phalloides. The fruit bodies (mushrooms) are white, small to medium-sized with caps up to 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter, a somewhat friable ring and a firm volva. Unlike most agaric mushrooms which typically have four-spored basidia, the basidia of A. exitialis are almost entirely two-spored. Eight people were fatally poisoned in China after consuming the mushroom in 2000, and another 20 have been fatally poisoned since that incident. Molecular analysis shows that the species has a close phylogenetic relationship with three other toxic white Amanitas: A. subjunquillea var. alba, A. virosa and A. bisporigera.

<i>Amanita jacksonii</i> Species of fungus

Amanita jacksonii, also known as Jackson's slender amanita, American Slender Caesar, and Eastern Caesar's Amanita, is a North American species of fungus in the family Amanitaceae. It is a reddish-orange colored mushroom species which can be identified by its yellow gills, large, white, sacklike volva.

<i>Amanita muscaria <span style="font-style:normal;">var.</span> formosa</i> Species of fungus

Amanita muscaria var. formosa, known as the yellow orange fly agaric, is a hallucinogenic and poisonous basidiomycete fungus of the genus Amanita. This variety, which can sometimes be distinguished from most other A. muscaria by its yellow cap, is a European taxon, although several North American field guides have referred A. muscaria var. guessowii to this name. American mycologist Harry D. Thiers described a yellow-capped taxon that he called var. formosa from the United States, but it is not the same as the European variety. The Amanita Muscaria is native to temperate or boreal forest regions of the Northern Hemisphere. However, it has also been introduced in New Zealand, Australia, South America, and South Africa.

<i>Amanita chrysoblema</i> Species of fungus

Amanita chrysoblema, with the common name American fly agaric, white variant, is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Amanita. Although named chrysoblema, it is traditionally thought to be an Amanita muscaria variant, a group of fungi commonly known as fly agarics.

<i>Amanita muscaria <span style="font-style:normal;">var.</span> inzengae</i> Species of fungus

Amanita muscaria var. inzengae, commonly known as Inzenga's fly agaric, is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Amanita. It is one of several varieties of the Amanita muscaria fungi, all commonly known as fly agarics or fly amanitas.

References

  1. Persoon, C.H. (1797) Tent. disp. meth. fung.: 65
  2. J. McNeill et al. (eds)(2006) International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Vienna, 2005), Appendix IIIA Nomina generica conservanda et rejicienda, B. Fungi "INTERNATIONAL CODE OF BOTANICAL NOMENCLATURE online". Archived from the original on 2012-10-06. Retrieved 2012-10-06.
  3. Saviuc, P.; Danel, V. (2006). "New Syndromes in Mushroom Poisoning". Toxicological Reviews. 25 (3): 199–209. doi:10.2165/00139709-200625030-00004. PMID   17192123. S2CID   24320633.
  4. Loizides M, Bellanger JM, Yiangou Y, Moreau PA. (2018). Preliminary phylogenetic investigations into the genus Amanita (Agaricales) in Cyprus, with a review of previous records and poisoning incidents. Documents Mycologiques 37: 201–218.
  5. Lincoff, Gary (1981). National Audubon Society Field Guide to Muschrooms. Knopf; A Chanticleer Press ed edition. p. 25. ISBN   0-394-51992-2.
  6. Phillips 2010, p. 28.
  7. Phillips 2010, p. 27.
  8. Zeitlmayr, L. (1976). Wild Mushrooms: An Illustrated Handbook. Hertfordshire: Garden City Press. p. 77. ISBN   0-584-10324-7.
  9. Nyberg, H. (1992). "Religious use of hallucinogenic fungi: A comparison between Siberian and Mesoamerican Cultures". Karstenia. 32 (71–80): 71–80. doi: 10.29203/ka.1992.294 .
  10. Barceloux D. G. (2008). "41 (Isoxazole-containing mushrooms and pantherina syndrome)" (PDF). Medical toxicology of natural substances: foods, fungi, medicinal herbs, plants, and venomous animals. Canada: John Wiley and Sons Inc. p. 298. ISBN   978-0-471-72761-3.
  11. "Erowid Psychoactive Amanitas Vault : Amanita gemmata (Gemmed Amanita)". www.erowid.org.
  12. "infraspecific taxa of pantherina - Amanitaceae.org - Taxonomy and Morphology of Amanita and Limacella". www.amanitaceae.org.
  13. "Erowid Psychoactive Amanitas Vault : Amanita muscaria var. regalis (Fly Agaric variety)". www.erowid.org.
  14. "Erowid Psychoactive Amanitas Vault : Info on Ibotenic Acid & Muscimol". www.erowid.org.

Sources