Introduction to Mushrooms Revised April 2000
by By Michael W. Beug Email: beugm@evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA
Slide 37.
Amanita bisporigera is one of the Destroying Angels, a group of similar deadly poisonous species. The cup-like volva and the ring on the stem are the pair of distinctive features that these deadly white-spored mushrooms share. Unfortunately careless pickers sometimes miss the cup-like volva which is buried just at the soil surface. Then Amanita bisporigera or one of the other death cups can be mistaken for one of several other white mushrooms with sometimes deadly results. It takes 6 to 12 or more hours before you know you are poisoned. After a couple of days of severe flu-like gastric distress you appear to recover only to relapse with liver failure. A liver transplant if available may sometimes save your life. However, it is far better to pick mushrooms carefully and not miss important features like what is at the base of the stipe.
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