East Bay Regional Park District officials are warning people to beware of the deadly mushrooms that crop up every rainy season.
Two of the world’s most toxic mushrooms, the Western destroying angel and the death cap, both grow in the Bay Area and are common in the region’s parks.
“Both of these toxic mushrooms can be lethal to humans and pets if consumed,” said park district naturalist Trent Pearce. “They are mostly associated with oak trees and can be found growing anywhere oak roots are
present.”
The plants contain amatoxins that can damage the liver and kidneys in mammals.
Symptoms typically take up to 12 hours to appear after the mushrooms are consumed and start as severe gastrointestinal pain, progressing to the liver and renal failure if immediate treatment isn’t provided, according to the park district.
The death cap is a medium or large mushroom that usually has a greenish-gray cap, white gills, a white ring around the stem and a large white sac at the base of the stem.
It was introduced to North America on the roots of European cork oak trees and is slowly colonizing the West Coast, park officials said.
The Western destroying angel is also a medium or large mushroom that has a creamy white cap, white gills, a white ring around the stem that fades as the plant grows and a thin white sac at the base.
It is a native California mushroom, according to the park district.
Other toxic mushrooms that can be found in the Bay Area include the Galerina and Lepiota species.
Is this where I say, “DUH”? Save you liver and just get you mushrooms at Safeway. Gathering your own in the wild is just tempting Darwin to have a say in things.
back in the 90’s, I was taking a cooking workshop. An “expert” on wild mushrooms was a guest one night. Short of from the store, I don’t partake in the wild ‘srooms. That speaker, didn’t let anyone try any until his presentation was done. But he did….. 911 was called; he died later that night. Lesson Learned: don’t risk the wild ones….
Death Cap for Cutie, anyone?
This information is valuable, but be clear that mushrooms are fungi and not plants. School children all learn that plants produce their own food and fungi break down organic matter.
They are I the plant kingdom, but not vascular plants…to be precise.
chuckie, chuckie, chuckie…. Wrongo
http://www.scienceiq.com/Facts/AreMushroomsPlants.cfm
http://www.gmushrooms.com/info.htm
https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfp/publications/00029/mushwhat.htm
So tempting though.
Chuckie,
I hope you YV Highschool biology teacher goes back and changes your grade to an F. Fungi are a different kingdom than plants. Sad to see such a sad state of education.
-Best,
LimeRidge Larry
You can find a rude comment on just about every post, no matter what the subject. You don’t gotta go making assumptions about someone’s education because they’re not a bio expert. Hop off your horse and be nice to people, it’s the holidays.
sorry college… Lime made a good. call… chuckie arrogantly proclaims wisdom often… chuckie routinely proves lack of…
I see. Best to both of you, have fun commenting
It seems like when we read of mushroom poisoning the victims are usually from Asia.
yep… the NCBI says the highest death rate us in Istanbul, which straddles the Europe/Asia boarder.