POISONOUS AND HALLUCINOGENIC MUSHROOMS
by Michael W. Beug Email: beugm@evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College, Olympia WA
Slide 6.
Lepiota josserandii is one of several small Lepiota
species that have lethal levels of amatoxins. This species is not uncommon
in California in the spring under live oak and shrubbery. One deadly poisoning
occurred from Lepiota josserandii picked in New York under Scott's
Pine. The victim, a very experienced mushroomer, thought that he was eating
Lepiota excoriata and knew of no reports of poisonous Lepiota
species in New York. The highly similar, if not identical, Lepiota
subincarnata has more recently caused a fatality in British Columbia.
Since the edibility of many mushrooms is not well determined and since
identifications of many of the poisonous mushrooms can be difficult, it
is hoped that doctors involved in treating mushroom poisonings would promptly
seek the help of trained mushroom identifiers. Not only can these individuals
often help in spotting potentially lethal mushrooms, but identifications
by trained mycologists can help us better determine which species of mushrooms
are causing trouble and help educate other mushroom pickers.
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