#death cap mushroom

[sitting-on-me-bum]

The death cap is the world's deadliest fungus, responsible for 90 percent of the world's mushroom-related poisonings every year. Native to Europe, death caps have spread around the world over the past century.

PHOTOGRAPH BY YVES LANCEAU/NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY

[exocynraku]

@ghostbiter designed me a weird dog . everyone say hi to bassiditae!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fanciedfacts]

Just one drop and you're history "The Deadly Death Cap Mushroom"

[rebeccathenaturalist]

For those who don't know, the death cap (Amanita phalloides) is one of five mushrooms, along with four Amanita species known colloquially as destroying angels, that I refer to collectively as the "deadly Amanitas". They all contain amatoxins that cause massive cell death in your liver within a few hours of consuming them, and half a cap can kill a healthy adult. There's no reliable cure, and all that can be offered is supportive care in the hopes you don't end up needing a liver transplant or simply dying.

This is why I bang the drum of identification so hard in my foraging classes. It is NOT enough to just look at a bunch of photos of mushrooms; you HAVE to be able to carry out a detailed observation of the physical characteristics of a mystery mushroom and then be able to use your observations in conjunction with LOTS of tools (not just one app or one field guide) to arrive at a positive I.D. You don't need to be a scientist to do this; you just need patience, critical thinking skills, and lots of practice.

I also want to emphasize, once again, that you should never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever use an ID app as your only tool, even if it's a really solid one like iNaturalist. Apps can be wrong more than occasionally, and I treat iNat as a way to get some suggested species to look into that might match my mystery mushroom, not the end point of identification.

There's no minimum number of field guides you should use, either; I've heard the assertion that if three field guides agree it must be right, but what if there's been new information that's come out since they were published? Apps, field guides, websites, blogs, journal articles, online foraging groups, other foragers in-person, classes--these are all the many resources available to you, and if you are relying on only one, you're much more likely to end up with a dangerous misidentification.

I see my job as a foraging instructor as doing my very best to make sure you don't end up as yet another cautionary tale, not just show you a bunch of pretty pictures. We have multiple examples of people who, for example, misidentified a poisonous mushroom with an app and ended up seriously regretting it. We don't know the whole story here, but it wouldn't surprise me if that's what occurred in this instance.

Be careful, be thorough, and when in doubt, throw it out. You can also contact me any time if you want my opinion on the ID of a particular mushroom--but DO NOT take my word as your only source!

[fungitopia]

Went on a fungi foray today with the Devon Fungus Group and we found a beautiful specimen of a Death cap, Amanita phalloides.

[lindagoesmushrooming]

Amanita citrina

[decemberblue]

Amanita phalloides, commonly known as the death cap. It is one of the most poisonous of all known mushrooms. 

Even very small fragments can be lethal (about 0.1 milligrams of fresh weight for every kilogram of weight of the person who ingests it), so about 7 mg for a 70 kg adult man; furthermore, the mushroom retains all its poisonous properties even after cooking, drying and freezing.

Found it today, 15 October 2023.

[mycoblogg]

amanita phalloides // death cap <3

this is the first time i'm posting a picture of fungi that *i* took, so no need to cite my sources here B-) anyway, i found these at the start of winter with my brother. it was really freaking bizarre, since i've hardly found that many mushrooms in person, but i found literally the most poisonous mushroom we know of. you can imagine i was going insane (positive) !!

[mushroom-showdown]

[mushrooms-switzerland]

Grüner Knollenblätter Pilz, Amanita Phalloides, aka ,, death cap‘‘ 11.08.23

with all characteristics

[ai-dadaism]

The death cap mushroom (Amanita phalloides) is one of the most toxic and deadly mushrooms in the world. It’s responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings, as it contains potent toxins called amatoxins that are highly resistant to heat and enzymes, meaning they remain toxic even after cooking.

Characteristics of the Death Cap

Appearance:

Cap: It has a pale green to olive-brown, smooth cap that can be mistaken for other edible mushrooms. The cap is usually 5–15 cm in diameter, with a somewhat sticky surface when wet.

Gills: The gills beneath the cap are white and free (not attached to the stalk).

Stalk: The stalk is white or pale, with a swollen base that may have a cup-like structure (volva).

Spore Print: The spore print of the death cap is white.

Habitat:

It is most commonly found in temperate regions, particularly in Europe and North America, often growing in association with hardwood trees like oak, chestnut, and pine.

It thrives in moist environments, typically appearing in late summer or fall.

Toxicity and Symptoms of Poisoning

Death cap mushrooms contain several toxic compounds, with amatoxins being the most lethal. These toxins inhibit RNA polymerase II, a critical enzyme in protein synthesis, leading to cell death—especially in the liver and kidneys.

Poisoning Stages:

Latency Period (6-12 hours): After ingestion, there is a deceptive phase with no symptoms, which can lull people into a false sense of security.

Gastrointestinal Phase (12-24 hours): Violent abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea occur, leading to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

Apparent Recovery (1-2 days): Symptoms seem to improve, but this is an illusion. Meanwhile, liver and kidney damage is worsening internally.

Liver/Kidney Failure (3-5 days): If untreated, the liver and kidneys begin to fail, leading to coma and potentially death.

Treatment

Immediate medical attention is critical. Hospital treatment often involves:

Activated Charcoal: Administered to absorb any remaining toxins.

Intravenous fluids: To manage dehydration.

Liver Transplant: In severe cases, patients may require a liver transplant to survive.

Unfortunately, even with aggressive treatment, the death rate for death cap mushroom poisoning can range from 10–30%.

Edibility Confusion

One of the most dangerous aspects of the death cap is its resemblance to edible mushrooms. It can easily be confused with mushrooms like the paddy straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) and the caesar’s mushroom (Amanita caesarea), particularly in its early stages of growth.

Cultural Impact and History

Death caps have a long and infamous history:

In ancient Rome, they were believed to have been used in political assassinations, notably in the death of Emperor Claudius.

Poisonings continue to occur worldwide, often involving foragers who mistake the death cap for an edible mushroom, particularly in areas where foraging is common.

Conclusion

The death cap mushroom is a highly toxic species that requires caution and awareness. It highlights the importance of proper identification and knowledge for those who forage mushrooms.

Get yourself my art works to add to your collection of mushrooms:

[justkidneying]

Death Cap Mushrooms

Amanita phalloides is a species of fungi native to Europe, but can also be found in the Americas. This species is highly toxic if ingested due to toxins it produces. It is responsible for a vast majority (~90%) of mushroom-related deaths every year worldwide. The main symptoms of ingestion are nausea and vomiting, which go away after a day or so. The deadly effects of liver and kidney damage will begin up to a week later.

Amatoxins kill you by inhibiting RNA polymerase II. RNApol II is necessary for the creation of messenger RNA, a type of nucleotide that is necessary to turn DNA into functional proteins. Without this enzyme, you can't make new stuff (like cells) in your body. Your cells will begin to die.

The liver and kidneys attempt to filter out this toxin, but the effects of it begin to kill and damage those cells. As your ability to filter out the toxin decreases, so does the damage it causes. These effects compound to make Death Caps a not very fun fungi.

As symptoms of organ damage progress, you may experience vomiting, abdominal pain, low blood pressure, jaundice, delirium, and coma due to the decreased ability of the liver to filter out toxins that affect the brain. On the kidney side of things, the symptoms may appear as impaired blood coagulation, intracranial bleeding, and cardiac arrest. These symptoms end up as kidney failure, liver failure, and death.

I like this as a poison because the person will feel fine after shitting and throwing up everywhere for a few hours. Then 2-7 days later, they've gone insane and they die. I think that has some cool implications for writing, and something fun could definitely be done here.

[fanciedfacts]

Death Cap mushroom is one of the deadliest in the world

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Okay. Okay okay okay. So. This is a HUGE discovery. Death caps and destroying angels are two of the deadliest mushrooms in the world; both are in the genus Amanita. Both species contain both amatoxins and phallotoxins, though the latter are likely not a major factor in the massive cell death that occurs in the liver and/or kidneys after consuming these mushrooms.

The most medically significant of the amatoxins is α-amanitin. When a deadly Amanita is consumed, you're likely to get the expected gastrointestinal upset that accompanies many toxic mushrooms within a few hours, and they may last for a few days. Then you start to feel better--but you can't just say "Okay, learned my lesson, I won't eat THAT one again." That's because α-amanitin has been stuck in your liver and kidneys the whole time, destroying their cells left and right, and its deleterious effects are catching up to you. So you can expect to end up in the hospital, potentially dealing with acute organ failure.

Supportive care generally includes IV fluids and electrolytes along with penicillin, oral activated charcoal, and other medications, along with hemodialysis and hemoperfusion. Some people have needed organ transplants, and numerous people have died, especially those who got medical help too late.

While compounds from milk thistle (Silybum marianum) have shown success in treating amatoxin poisoning in a small study several decades ago, there hasn't been much follow-up since. Recently, researchers studied the molecular effects of α-amanitin, and discovered that the enzyme STT3B plays a crucial role in creating N-glycans that facilitate the cell death caused by α-amanitin. Then they went looking for anything that could inhibit STT3B from a list of possible treatments approved by the FDA.

Enter indocyanine green. Developed as a dye for photography in the 1950s, it received approval for medical use a few years later, and has been used for everything from measuring cardiac performance to opthalmology. But it just so happens to also significantly reduce cell death both in vitro in human cell lines, and in vivo in mice. There haven't been any in vivo studies in humans just yet, but results are very promising.

There's one limitation--indocyanine green must be given as soon as possible after ingestion. When it was given eight or twelve hours after α-amanitin poisoning, it was no longer effective due to cell death having already occurred.

Still, the fact that we now have a potential new tool in treating acute α-amanitin poisoning is a massive hope for the future. Couple this with increasing education about safe mushroom foraging and how to identify poisonous species, and we could see a significant reduction in poisoning from those two deadly Amanita species.

[thfckhappened]

Saw a tiktok about the different types of tiefling you can be in DND and here are my ideas

Lunar Moth tiefling, as a Cleric

Death face moth tiefling as a Necromancer

Maned Hyena tiefling, Barbarian

Ink cap Mushroom tiefling Rouge or monk for this one I see the cap as one of those straw hats and they'd have a bo staff

I'll have to draw these at some point I'll update you if I ever flesh out these characters

[jonreytrevino]

Don't Touch It!

pixel_dailies : mushroom : 6/23/24

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