Dr. Gordon Walker knows his fungi. In a recent Instagram post, he casually holds up what he calls the deadliest mushroom in the world. The toxic mushroom is Amanita phalloides, aka the “death cap.”
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“The Death Cap (Amanita phalloides) is responsible for roughly 90% of all deaths attributed to mushrooms,” Walker wrote in his Instagram caption. “This is the number one toxic mushroom you should learn to recognize, lest you make a fatal mistake.”
Though it may be innocent-looking (there are several safe-to-eat mushrooms that look eerily similar to it), the death cap mushroom is far from innocent. If you eat it, it’ll poison you, and the process won’t be quick.
“[Amanita phalloides contains] small cyclic peptides (proteins) known as amatoxins that bind irreversibly to RNA polymerase II in the liver shutting down transcription and organ function,” Walker explains. “Generally the initial symptoms are just GI upset, but the more serious symptoms arrive several days later as your organs begin failing. There are a currently no good cures for amatoxin poisoning.”
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So, how can you identify a death cap mushroom growing in the wild? Walker describes the characteristics of these toxic ‘shrooms in his Instagram video (hint: beware mushrooms that are “sickly green” in color).
Watch Walker’s educational video about death caps, the toxic mushroom everyone should learn to identify:
Header stock image of Amanita phalloides by adrianam13/Getty Images
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