The Blusher

Neither a good example or photograph but for those who saw yesterday's blip can now see why I found it difficult to identify the white version of this Amanita rubescens.

A word of warning.. do not attempt to pick Amanita Fungi. Although this one is considered edible when cooked, the raw fungus and the water it's cooked in are poisonous and it is easily confused with the Panther Cap which is another Amanita species and deadly. It's true that there aren't that many fungi that will kill you, most will just taste appalling, but especially amongst the Amanita species that grow in the UK there are some that will not forgive.

The cap of a fungus is rarely enough to identify it. You need to look at the gills, the stem and know where it's growing. A fungus that grows under a conifer may look very similar to one that grows under an Oak tree but may not be the same variety. Is it growing on grass, on sand or on the roots of a tree? All these things are important to note. Some fungi can only be reliably identified by seeing their spores under a microscope... which goes way beyond my ability.
Even field mushrooms have their nasties and it's important that you can identify those before starting to pick the good ones. They may not kill you but, believe me, you will never forget it if you get a bout of poisoning!

If you are interested, join a group and start to learn, one species at a time. There are some that can't be confused with any others and are safe to try but be sure you know what you're picking.

Interestingly, in August this year, warm weather and storms caused a boom in fungi in Italy. In only ten days, eighteen people lost their lives. Fortunately most Italians who go foraging aren't foolish enough to eat mushrooms without checking and double checking so, most of the fatalities were caused by people falling over cliffs as they tried to reach out for their favourite titbit!

My interest in Fungi spans nearly thirty years. I am not an expert but have learnt much and still study. I pick only what I want to eat for a meal. By being careful I can report not one single upset stomach. :)