Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.

As I have shown in the last few blips, fungi can be objects of great beauty. There is, of course, a darker side to their nature, some are poisonous and a few are absolutely deadly.

This is a panther cap Amanita pantherina erupting from the forest floor. It looks so innocent but if I were to eat it then it is quite likely that I would die. The panther cap is very poisonous because it contains large amounts of muscimol and ibotenic acid and when ingested affects the central nervous system, causing disorientation, hallucination and perceptual disturbance with exaggerated movement followed by coma and death if eaten in quantity.

Its close relative the death cap Amanita phalloides is even more toxic and is responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings worldwide. 30 grams, or half a cap of this mushroom is estimated to be enough to kill a human. In 2006, a family of three in Poland was poisoned, resulting in one death and the two survivors requiring liver transplants.

Best avoided!