[BEN-L]BEN # 416
Adolf & Oluna Ceska
aceska at telus.net
Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:00:52 -0700
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No. 416 October 20, 2009
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aceska@telus.net Victoria, B.C.
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Dr. A. Ceska, P.O.Box 8546, Victoria, B.C. Canada V8W 3S2
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MUSHROOM POISONING: THE ROLE OF CARELESS IDENTIFICATIONS
From: Michael W. Beug, Chair, NAMA Toxicology Committee =
BeugM@evergreen.edu=20
Figures 1-12: http://bomi.ou.edu/ben/416/ben416_figures.pdf =20
I have always considered the consumption of edible wild mushrooms a safe =
and enjoyable, indeed healthful, pastime. I have my list of what I call =
55 mile per hour mushrooms that I can identify glancing out the window =
at highway speeds. I pass up other edible mushrooms that require a good =
spore print or microscopic analysis to be sure of the identification. =
However, lately when I am leading a group in the woods, I have been =
reluctant to assure others that even my 55 mile per hour mushrooms are =
foolproof. What follows are some accounts of recent misidentifications =
that stagger the imagination. You see, I collect and report on mushroom =
poisoning cases from throughout North America as chair of the North =
American Mycological Association Toxicology Committee.
In early September 2009, I received an email report of severe =
gastronomic upset affecting four people (probably in Wisconsin) who had =
consumed what was reportedly _Laetiporus sulphureus_ (Bull.) Murrill. I =
am used to getting reports of upset from the western look-alike, =
_Laetiporus conifericola_ Burds. & Banik (Figure 1). However, even with =
_Laetiporus conifericola_, I would not expect every person in the group =
to have become ill. I would expect at most one or two sensitive =
individuals to have suffered gastro-intestinal distress, not the whole =
group. Besides, it is very rare for someone to react to _Laetiporus =
sulphureus_ itself, just to its polypore look-alikes_ Laetiporus =
conifericola_ and _Laetiporus gilbertsonii_ Burds. The answer came a few =
days later in another email reporting that _Laetiporus sulphureus_ has =
a dangerous look-alike in eastern North America. The purported =
look-alike, and culprit in this story, was _Omphalotus illudens_ =
(Schwein.) Bresinsky & Besl (Figure 2). The most stunning aspect of this =
story is that a few years ago I received another report of someone =
serving Omphalotus illudens thinking it was _Laetiporus sulphureus_. To =
me this is like not being able to distinguish green apples and limes. =
The only things that the two have in common are that they both grow on =
trees and both are green. The only things _Laetiporus sulphureus_ and =
_Omphalotus illudens_ have in common is that they are both somewhat =
orange and both grow on wood. _Laetiporus sulphureus_ is a polypore and =
_Omphalotus illudens_ is a gilled mushroom =E2=80=93 how different can =
you get?
The same week I received a call from a poison center. They were fielding =
a call from a nurse at a hospital in another state who had identified a =
mushroom as _Amanita muscaria_ (L.) Lam. (Figure 3). A young man had =
eaten 6-8 whole mushrooms in an apparent effort to get high and an hour =
had elapsed yet nothing was happening. The mushroom was described as =
having brown gills, among other features including bumps on the cap =
=E2=80=93 and _Amanita_ species have white gills unless old and rotting. =
Besides, consumption of 6-8 _Amanita muscaria_ would constitute a =
massive overdose =E2=80=93 1 or 2 caps are what someone would eat =
attempting to get high. Six to 8 would be an attempt at suicide, though =
even that amount probably would not kill a healthy individual. So what =
was the culprit? I asked if the nurse could be requested to send me =
pictures and shortly some fairly blurry pictures arrived in my email =
=E2=80=93 pictures of what was clearly an edible but bland and =
uninteresting species of _Pholiota_, possibly _Pholiota terrestris_ =
Overh. (Figure 4). I was stunned but considering other mistakes I have =
seen, not altogether surprised. _Amanita_ species have white gills that =
are not attached to the stipe and yield a white spore print. _Pholiota_ =
species have brown gills that are attached to the stipe and yield a =
brown spore print. _Amanita muscaria_ has warts on the cap that readily =
rub off or wash off in the rain. The scales on the cap of a _Pholiota_ =
are part of the cap structure and do not rub off.=20
_Amanita pantherina_ (DC.) Krombh. (Figure 5) has frequently been picked =
and eaten by persons who thought that they were eating _Agaricus =
augustus_ Fr. (Figure 6). Do people also have trouble telling cantaloupe =
from oranges? Mushrooms are very safe to pick and eat if you eat =
distinctive species like _Agaricus augustus_ so long as you read the =
description of the species and pay attention to what _Agaricus augustus_ =
looks like.
A tragic case of mistaken identification was reported in Macleans.ca in =
an August 27, 2009 article: =
http://www2.macleans.ca/2009/08/27/judith-josephine-koritar-1944-2009/ =
According to the article the woman picked what she thought was =
_Leucoagaricus naucinus_ (Fr.) Singer - syn.: _Lepiota naucina_ (Fr.) =
P. Kumm. (Figure 7). She actually picked a truly close look-alike, =
=E2=80=9CThe Destroying Angel=E2=80=9D or _Amanita virosa_ (Fr.) =
Bertill. (in reality it was most probably _Amanita bisporigera_ G.F. =
Atk., Figure 8). She checked her mushroom book and consumed the =
mushrooms which made her nauseous the next day and led to her death from =
_Aspergillosis_ 19 days later. Her mistakes were subtle =E2=80=93 she =
thought that the _Amanita_ only grew in the woods and so a lawn mushroom =
would be safe =E2=80=93 but not true if a tree is anywhere near. =
Virtually all _Amanita_ species are mycorrhizal associates of trees, but =
a tree can grow near a lawn. Her second mistake was in not collecting =
the entire base of the mushroom. The volva, or =E2=80=9Cdeath =
cup=E2=80=9D characteristic of the Destroying Angel group of mushrooms =
but not _Lepiota_ species, is often just below the surface of the ground =
and is easily missed by a careless picker. Thus one of my rules =
=E2=80=93 never eat an all-white gilled mushroom. By the way, the =
Destroying Angel mushrooms are exceptionally tasty =E2=80=93 and thus =
poison several careless people each year. And there is a green to tan =
deadly _Amanita_, _Amanita phalloides_ (Vaill. ex Fr.) Link (Figure 9) =
that came over on nursery stock from Europe over 100 years ago and is =
often found in urban areas.
I have another rule - never eat small gilled mushrooms. Several small =
_Lepiota_ species contain the same toxins as the =E2=80=9CDestroying =
Angel.=E2=80=9D _Lepiota subincarnata_ J.E. Lange, also known as =
_Lepiota josserandii_ Bon & Boiffard (Figure 10) is one. Several =
_Galerina_ species like _Galerina marginata_ (Batsch) K=C3=BChner (alias =
_Galerina autumnalis_ (Peck) A.H. Sm. & Singer, Figure 11) have the same =
deadly toxin, =CE=B1-amanitin. Numerous small _Inocybe_ species contain =
a different toxin, muscarine. _Inocybe_ species like _Inocybe geophylla_ =
(Pers.) P. Kumm. (Figure 12) can kill a small dog but in a human cause =
severe vomiting and diarrhoea, profuse salivation and tear formation and =
constricted pupils.
There is no reliable rule that will tell you that a mushroom is edible. =
Poisonous mushrooms are no more likely to turn a silver spoon black than =
an edible species, nor will they change the color of rice they are =
cooked with. To be safe you must know how to identify each species that =
you choose to eat.
VEGETATION-PLOT DATA AND DATABASES IN EUROPE
From: Schamin=C3=A9e J. H. J., Hennekens S. M., Chytr=C3=BD M. & Rodwell =
J. S. (2009): Vegetation-plot data and databases in Europe: an overview. =
=E2=80=93 _Preslia_ 81: 173=E2=80=93185. Abstract. Full article: =
http://www.preslia.cz/P093Schaminee.pdf=20
During the last decade many electronic databases of vegetation plots, =
mainly phytosociological relev=C3=A9s, were established in different =
European countries. These databases contain information which is =
extremely valuable for both testing various macroecological hypotheses =
and for nature conservation surveying or monitoring. The aim of this =
paper is to provide estimates of the number of vegetation plots there =
are in Europe, how many are stored in an electronic format and to assess =
their distribution across European countries and regions. We sent a =
questionnaire to the managers of national or regional databases of =
vegetation plots and other prominent vegetation ecologists. Meta-data =
obtained in this way indicate that there are > 4,300,000 vegetation-plot =
records in Europe, of which > 1,800,000 are already stored =
electronically. Of the electronic plots, 60% are stored in TURBOVEG =
databases. Most plot records probably exist in Germany, the Netherlands, =
France, Poland, Spain, Czech Republic, Italy, UK, Switzerland and =
Austria. The largest numbers of plots per unit area are in the =
Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and countries of central Europe. The most =
computerized plots per country exist in the Netherlands (600,000), =
followed by France, the Czech Republic and the UK. Due to its strong =
phytosociological tradition, Europe has many more vegetation plots than =
any other part of the world. This wealth of unique ecological =
information is a challenge for future biodiversity studies. With the =
alarming loss in biodiversity and environmental problems like global =
warming and ongoing changes in land use, there is an urgent need for =
wide-scale scientific and applied vegetation research. Developments of =
information systems such as SynBioSys Europe and facilitation of data =
flow between the national and regional databases should make it easier =
to use these vegetation-plot data.
Check also:
The International Association of Vegetation Scientists organizes a =
conference and workshop on
Vegetation databases and climate change
24 February - 26 February: 9th Meeting on Vegetation Databases
Hamburg, Germany
http://www.botanik.uni-greifswald.de/workshop2010.html?&L=3D1 =20
Contact: J=C3=BCrgen Dengler (dengler@botanik.uni-hamburg.de )
BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT - AUDUBON: BEYOND BIRDS
Small E., P.M. Catling, J. Cayouette, & B. Brookes. 2009.=20
_Plant portraits and conservation heritage of John James Audubon_.=20
NRC Press, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. xiv + 266 p.=20
ISBN-13: 978-0-660-19894-1 [hardcover]
CAN$49.95=20
Book available from NRC Press:=20
http://pubs.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/books/books/9780660198941.html =20
Phone: 613-990-2254 or 1-800-668-1222; email: =
monographs.cisti@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca=20
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He is best known for _The Birds of America_, a gigantic four-volume set =
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achievement almost without parallel. Audubon also prepared a similar =
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In the last 2 centuries, dozens of books have been produced, either =
stressing Audubon's work as pure art or documenting the animals that =
were painted. The present volume is unique in emphasizing the plants =
that Audubon frequently illustrated along with his animals. Superb, =
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(mostly birds), the painting and (most particularly) the plants. An =
introductory, extensively illustrated chapter details Audubon's life and =
career =E2=80=94 a fascinating story of heroic achievements in the face =
of great obstacles. A second chapter deals with Audubon's conservation =
legacy, a topic of considerable importance to the world's ongoing crises =
related to loss of biodiversity, degradation of the environment and =
global warming. This book will appeal to everyone who appreciates the =
stunning beauty of nature and the intriguing life stories of wild plants =
and animals.
=20
NEW YORK BOTANICAL GARDEN: RECENT BRYOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS
From: William R. Buck, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY 10458-5126, =
USA
e-mail: bbuck@nybg.org =20
The New York Botanical Garden Press is pleased to offer two new titles =
for=20
Fall 2009:
Anderson, Lewis E., A. Jonathan Shaw, & Blanka Shaw. 2009.
_Peat Mosses of the Southeastern United States._ (Memoirs of The New =
York Botanical Garden, Volume 102.)=20
New York Botanical Garden Press, Bronx, NY. 126 p. ISBN: 0-89327-505-0 =
[hardcover] Price US$42 Order no. M10200
Sphagnum, commonly known as peat moss, is widely used in agriculture,=20
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There are few taxonomic treatments of Sphagnum in North America, yet=20
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Gradstein S. Robbert, & Anna Luiza Ilkiu-Borges. 2009.
_Guide to the Plants of Central French Guiana Part 4. Liverworts and =
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This hepatic flora of central French Guiana is based on the study of=20
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The flora consists of 175 species of liverworts in 59 genera and
17 families and 2 species of hornworts (2 genera, 2 families). The=20
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In addition, NYBG Press is offering a very special price on the entire =
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To order, call 718-817-8721
________________________________________________________________
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Send submissions to aceska@telus.net=20
BEN is archived at http://www.ou.edu/cas/botany-micro/ben/=20
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