The namedestroying angel applies to several similar, closely related species of deadly all-whitemushrooms in the genusAmanita.[1] They areAmanita virosa in Europe andA. bisporigera andA. ocreata in eastern and western North America, respectively.[1] Another European species ofAmanita referred to as the destroying angel,Amanita verna—also referred to as the "fool's mushroom"—was first described inFrance in 1780.[2] Destroying angels are among the most toxic known mushrooms; both they and the closely relateddeath caps (A. phalloides) containamatoxins.[1]
Destroying angels are characterized by havinggills and white stalks. The cap can be pure white, or white at the edge and yellowish, pinkish, or tan at the center. It has a partial veil, or ring (annulus) circling the upper stalk, and the gills are "free", not attached to the stalk. Perhaps the most telltale of the features is the presence of avolva, or universal veil, so called because it is a membrane that encapsulates the entire mushroom, rather like an egg, when it is very young. This structure breaks as the young mushroom expands, leaving parts that can be found at the base of the stalk as a boot or cup-like structure, and patches of removable material are found on the cap surface. This combination of features, all found together in the same mushroom, is the hallmark of the family. While other families may have any one or two of these features, none has them all. The cap is usually about 5–12 cm (2–4+1⁄2 in) across; thestipe is usually 7.5–20 cm (3–8 in) long and about0.5–2 cm (1⁄4–3⁄4 in) thick. They are found singly or in small groups.[citation needed]
Destroying angels can be mistaken for edible fungi such as thebutton mushroom,meadow mushroom, orhorse mushroom. Young destroying angels that are still enclosed in their universal veils can be mistaken forpuffballs, but slicing them in half longitudinally reveals internal mushroom structures. This is the basis for the common recommendation to slice in half all puffball-like mushrooms picked whenmushroom hunting. Mushroom hunters recommend that people know how to recognize both thedeath cap and the destroying angel inall of their forms before collecting any white-gilled mushroom for consumption.[citation needed]
AllAmanita species formectomycorrhizal relationships with the roots of certain trees. Thus, destroying angels grow in or near the edges of woodlands. They can also be found on lawns or grassy meadows near trees or shrubs. Several species called destroying angels are found all over the world.[3]Amanita bisporigera is associated with oaks and conifers.[4]
The destroying angel (A. bisporigera) and the death cap (A. phalloides) account for the overwhelming majority of deaths due tomushroom poisoning. The toxin responsible for this isamatoxin, which inhibitsRNA polymerase II andIII. Symptoms do not appear for 5 to 24 hours, when the toxins may already be absorbed and the damage (destruction of liver and kidney tissues) is irreversible. As little as half a mushroom cap can be fatal if the victim is not treated quickly enough. The symptoms include vomiting, cramps, delirium, convulsions, and diarrhea. In one study, people who had ingested the toxin were treated with "fluid and electrolyte replacement, oralactivated charcoal andlactulose, IVpenicillin, combinedhemodialysis andhemoperfusion in two 8-hour sessions," some with "IVthioctic acid, others IVsilibinin" and all received a "special diet". A report concluded that "intensive combined treatment applied in these cases is effective in relieving patients with both moderate and severe amanitin poisoning."[5]
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)PoisonousAmanita mushrooms | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Subgenus Amanita |
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| Subgenus Amanitina |
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| Subgenus Lepidella |
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