Death Cap (Amanita phalloides)

Taxonomy
Phylum: Basidiomycota Class: Agaricomycetes Order: Agaricales Family: Amanitaceae This largish fungus, known infamously and justifiably as the Deathcap, accounts for more than 90% of fungus-related poisoning deaths in Europe. Amanita phalloides is quite a common species in most parts of Britain and Ireland. Distribution The Deathcap occurs throughout Britain and Ireland and can also be found in other mainland European countries, where it occurs most commonly at low altitudes.

Amanita phalloides is found also in northern Africa and in many parts of Asia, although other similar species occur there and so some reoports of Deathcaps may be the result of misidentification. In the USA Amanita phalloides is an introduced species; it was probably brought in from Europe along with tree imports. Other parts of the world, including Australia and South America, now contain Amanita phalloides as a result of timber or plant imports in the past. Left: although Deathcaps are mycorrhizal fungi and therefore effectively tethered to tree roots, they are able to produce arcs and even fairy rings. Taxonomic History Amanita phalloides f. alba Britzelm is the white form of the Deathcap; but, as white specimens commonly occur alongside the more common form, most experts agree that this is merely a colour variant of Amanita phalloides.

Amanita verna var. tarda Trimbach is also considered by many to be a synonym for A. phalloides rather than a variety of the Spring Amanita or Spring Destroying Angel, Amanita verna (Bull.: Fr.) Lam. Etymology The phallic shape of a young Deathcap fruitbody, emerging from its volva, gave rise to its specific epithet phalloides. The common name is sometimes written as Death Cap rather than Deathcap, and in the USA (to where this species was almost certainly introduced from Europe) this toxic toadstool is commonly referred to as the Death Cup. Left: In dry weather fragments of the universal veil may adhere to caps of Amanita phalloides, usually as large creamy-white patches rather than in regularly scattered 'spots' as with Fly Agarics.

Toxic content of Amanita phalloides

Several toxins have been isolated from this poisonous toadstool, but the constituent that damages the liver and kidneys of anyone that eats the Deathcap is known as -amanitin. Its potency is not reduced by either freezing or cooking the fungi before eating them. Contained not only in certain amanitas but also in some fungi from the genera Galerina, Lepiota andConocybe, amatoxins initially cause gastrointestinal disorders with symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea and stomach pains occurring within five to twelve hours. Cruelly, the systems usually fade away for several hours or even a day or two, tricking the victim into thinking

that they are recovering. When in due course the symptoms return with a vengeance, it may be too late: kidney and liver damage are already well underway. Without treatment, coma and eventual death are almost inevitable. Often, people hospitalised late into an amotoxin poisoning episode can only be saved by major surgery and a liver transplant, and even then recovery is a precarious, painful and protracted process.

Identification guide
Cap 5 - 15cm diameter; almost white when immature, then yellow, bronze or olive, usually a little darker in the centre (occasionally deep grass green shading towards black at the centre); soon losing all fragments of the universal veil; initially egg-shaped, but flattening at maturity. The cap, which is not striate at the margin, tends to crack at the edges when very old. As they decay, Amanita phalloides fungi give off a very unpleasant smell.

Gills Free, broad and crowded. Initially the gills are pure white, but they turn cream, sometimes with a slight pinkish tinge, as the fruit body ages. Stem Stem height 7 - 15cm; off-white, with zig-zag mottling somewhat paler than the cap colour. Amanita phalloides usually retain their fragile, pendant ring through to maturity. The swollen base is surrounded by a large white, sack-like volva that is often tinged green inside.

Spores Ellipsoidal to subglobose, smooth, 7.5-10 x 6-7m; inamyloid. Spore print White.

Odour/taste

Not distinctive when young, but old specimens have a most unpleasant sickly sweet smell. Do not attempt to taste this deadly poisonous species. Mycorhizal with hardwood trees, especially oaks, and occasionally with softwoods. July to November in Britain and Ireland. Amanita citrina (False Deathcap) generally has brownishcream veil fragments on the cap, and a volval rim around its base rather than an open sack-like volva. Agaricus campestris and other Agaricus mushrooms do not have volvae; also, the gills of immature Amanita phalloides fungi are not grey or pinky-brown as is the case with young Agaricus mushrooms.

Habitat

Season Similar species

Reference Sources
Fascinated by Fungi, Pat O'Reilly, 2011. BMS List of English Names for Fungi Geoffrey Kibby, (2012) Genus Amanita in Great Britain, self-published monograph. Paul M. Kirk, Paul F. Cannon, David W. Minter and J. A. Stalpers (2008). Dictionary of the Fungi; CABI Taxonomic history and synonym information on these pages is drawn from many sources but in particular from the British Mycological Society'sGB Checklist of Fungi and (for basidiomycetes) on Kew's Checklist of the British & Irish Basidiomycota. http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/amanita-phalloides.php#references