A variety of fly agaric species and their beneficial properties. Personal account Olyush Herbalists

Amanita muscaria is a psychoactive poisonous mushroom of the genus Amanita or Amanita. In Siberia, these mushrooms were used as an intoxicant, and it had a special place in the local religious culture.

The name of this mushroom is associated with the ancient method of its use - as a means against flies.

Latin name mushroom - Amanita muscaria.

The size of the red fly agaric cap ranges from 8 to 20 centimeters. At first, the shape of the fly agaric cap is hemispherical, but with age it opens up and becomes flat or concave. The color is bright red, and the color density varies. The skin is shiny with white wart flakes.

The pulp is white, and closer to the skin it is light yellow or light orange, with a slightly pronounced odor. The width of the plates is 0.8-1.2 centimeters, their color is cream or white. The plates are arranged freely, and between them there are numerous intermediate plates.

The leg is 8-20 centimeters high, its diameter is 1-2.5 centimeters. The shape of the leg is cylindrical, the tuberous base is thickened, the color is yellowish or white. In adulthood, the leg becomes hollow. There are flakes on the cap - remnants of the coverlet. Flakes may fall off. In the upper part of the leg there is a membranous ring with uneven edges and a brownish surface. The spores are smooth, ellipsoidal in shape, the spore powder is white.

Variability of the red fly agaric

The cap can have different shades - from bright red to orange-red; in older specimens the color becomes much lighter. Young mushrooms most often have flakes on their caps, while old mushrooms may have them washed off by rain. Sometimes the plates may turn light yellow. A form growing in North America is characterized by a lighter yellow-orange cap.

Places where red fly agarics grow

Red fly agarics form mycorrhizae mainly with spruce and birch. They prefer to grow in acidic soils. Often found in forests temperate climate Northern Hemisphere. They can grow in the mountains, occurring up to the upper border of the forest. In our country, red fly agarics grow everywhere. These mushrooms bear fruit from August to October.

Similar species

Externally, red fly agaric mushrooms are similar to the edible Caesar mushroom, which grows mainly in southern Europe, but these mushrooms can be distinguished by their golden-yellow blades and stalk.

Also, the red fly agaric is similar in appearance to its brother, the royal fly agaric, but it has a darker red-brown cap.

Toxic properties of red fly agaric

Red fly agaric contains muscarine, muscimol and ibotenic acid. The fruiting bodies of fly agarics contain toxic substances that have a psychotropic effect.

Ibotenic acid is toxic and causes brain cell death. For a long time it was believed that muscarine was an active psychotropic substance, but then it was proven that muscimol and ibotenic acid have a psychotropic effect. And muscarine dilates blood vessels and reduces cardiac output.

When present in large quantities, muscarine causes nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, increased sweating and salivation. In severe cases, suffocation occurs due to pulmonary edema, convulsions and bronchospasm. And in the most critical situations, loss of consciousness occurs and death occurs.

When poisoning with red fly agarics, deaths are very rare, because if one mushroom accidentally ends up in a basket of edibles, then the concentration of poison is very small. And it’s very easy to recognize a fly agaric thanks to its characteristic colors. Lethal dose– 15 red fly agaric caps per person.

Use of red fly agarics as an insecticide

Back in the 13th century, the toxic properties of these mushrooms towards insects were revealed. Red fly agarics were used to make infusions against insects, which is why the characteristic name appeared.

Flies die not from poisoning, but for another reason. In adult fly agarics, the caps become concave, water accumulates in them, the flies drink this water with dissolved alkaloids, as a result of which after a few minutes they fall asleep and simply drown. The same situation occurs if there is a saucer of fly agarics in water in the room. But if you take the fly out of the water, then after 10-12 hours it will safely wake up and fly away.

Psychotropic properties of red fly agarics

Red fly agarics contain psychoactive substances, which is why they have long been used by various peoples in religious ceremonies. Northern peoples used these mushrooms as an intoxicating remedy. The effect of red fly agarics is similar to severe intoxication: hallucinations occur, attacks of joy and anger alternate, objects split into two, sounds begin to be heard, and colored visions appear. Afterwards, loss of consciousness occurs, accompanied by amnesia.

Interestingly, when reindeer discover red fly agarics, they rush to feast on them. The Chukchi most often dried fly agarics. Then they bit off small pieces of dried mushrooms, chewed them thoroughly and washed them down with water.

Psychoactive and toxic substances dissolve well in hot water; if fly agaric mushrooms are boiled in several waters, the poisoning will be less severe. But since the poison content in the fruiting bodies can vary, eating red fly agarics is dangerous. But despite this, fly agarics are eaten in Japan, Nagano Prefecture. Some sources report that when red fly agarics are boiled in two waters, they become edible, but this information is not substantiated.

After consuming red fly agarics, a person may laugh or cry for 2 hours, be captivated by hallucinations, or fall into an unconscious state. The poison of these mushrooms acts almost immediately, causing suffocation, convulsions, fainting or stimulation of the nervous system. These mushrooms began to be used as a drug in our country more than 1000 years ago.

The Mari and Mordovians considered these mushrooms to be the food of the gods. And the shamans of the Ob Ugrians used fly agarics to achieve trance. The Chukchi, Kamchadals and Koryaks used these mushrooms to communicate with spirits, predict the future and other ritual rites.

Among the Chukchi, 3 stages of intoxication with fly agarics have been described. First comes pleasant excitement, fun, dexterity appears and physical strength increases. At the second stage, hallucinations occur, people see spirits, they hear voices, objects look disproportionately large, reality seems different, but at the same time people can answer questions and remain conscious. But the third stage is difficult, a person’s consciousness changes, communication with others is interrupted, he remains active, communicates with hallucinogenic spirits, and then falls into a heavy narcotic sleep.

Use of red fly agarics in medicine

In folk medicine, these mushrooms are used to treat cancer, as an immunostimulating, antiviral and anthelmintic agent. They also treat joints. But science has not confirmed the effectiveness of red fly agarics.

The meaning of red fly agarics for animals

Many animals, such as moose, deer, bears and squirrels, eat these mushrooms. But the significance of fly agarics for animals is not clear.

Amanita muscaria is a psychoactive basidiomycete mushroom, one of many mushrooms in the genus Amanita. The mushroom is native to temperate and boreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The fly agaric was unintentionally introduced into many countries in the Southern Hemisphere, typically as a symbiont with pine and birch plantations, and is now a cosmopolitan species. Fly agaric is associated with various deciduous and coniferous tree species. The fly agaric is a large, usually red grebe with white spots. The mushroom is one of the most recognizable and widely found in popular culture. Several subspecies of the mushroom are known, with caps different color, including the brown subspecies regalis (often considered a separate species), yellow-orange flavivolvata, guessowii, formosa and pinkish persicina. Genetic studies published in 2006 and 2008 show several distinct clades that may represent distinct species. Although fly agaric is considered poisonous, reports of human deaths resulting from its ingestion are extremely rare. In some parts of Europe, Asia and North America, the mushroom is eaten after steaming, which reduces its toxicity and destroys the psychoactive substances it contains. Fly agaric is known for its hallucinogenic properties, the main psychoactive component in it is the compound muscimol. The mushroom was used as an intoxicant and entheogen by the peoples of Siberia, and has religious significance in these cultures. There is speculation about the possible traditional use of this mushroom as an intoxicant in other regions such as the Middle East, Eurasia, North America and Scandinavia.

Taxonomy

The name of the mushroom in many European languages ​​is believed to be related to its use as an insecticide in milk. This practice can be seen in the Germanic and Slavic-speaking parts of Europe, as well as in the Vosges and other regions in France and Romania. Albertus Magnus first described such use in his work De vegetabilibus, some time before 1256, stating that "this mushroom is called the mushroom of flies, as it is used in powder in milk to kill flies." In the 16th century, Flemish botanist Carolus Clusius traced the practice of sprinkling fly agaric powder into milk in Frankfurt, Germany, while Carl Linnaeus, the "father of taxonomy", reported it from Småland in southern Sweden, where he lived as a child. In 1753, in the second volume of his Species Plantarum, Linnaeus described the fly agaric, giving it the name Agaricus muscarius, a species epithet derived from the Latin musca, meaning "fly". The mushroom received its current name in 1783, when it was placed in the genus Amanita by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, and the name was approved in 1821 by the "father of mycology", the Swedish naturalist Magnus Fries. The starting date for all mycota was fixed, by general agreement, at 1 January 1821, the date of Fries's work, and therefore full name then there was Amanita muscaria. The 1987 edition of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature changed the rules regarding the initial date and primary work for fungal names, and names can now be considered valid as early as May 1, 1753, the date of publication of Linnaeus's work. Consequently, Linnaeus and Lamarck are now considered to be the people who gave the fly agaric its name. English mycologist John Ramsbottom reported that fly agaric was used to get rid of insects in England and Sweden. French mycologist Pierre Boulliard reported that he tried unsuccessfully to reproduce the fly-killing properties of the fungus in his work Histoire des plantes vénéneuses et suspectes de la France (1784), and because of this proposed a new binomial name for the fly agaric, Agaricus pseudo-aurantiacus. One compound isolated from the fungus is 1,3-diolein (1,3-di(cis-9-octadecenoyl)glycerol), which attracts insects. It has been suggested that flies deliberately seek out fly agaric for its intoxicating properties. An alternative conclusion suggests that the term "fly" does not denote a fly as an insect, but a state of delirium resulting from consumption of the mushroom. This is based on the medieval belief that flies could enter a person's head and cause mental illness. Several regional names appear to be associated with this connotation. Hence there is oriol foll "mad oriol" in Catalan, mujolo folo from Toulouse, concourlo fouolo from the Aveyron region in southern France, and ovolo matto from Trentino in Italy. The local dialect name for fly agaric in Friborg, Switzerland is tsapi de diablhou, which translates to "devil's hat".

Classification

The fly agaric is the type species of its genus. By extension, it is also the type species of Amanita of the subgenus Amanita, as well as sections Amanita in that subgenus. The subgenus Amanita includes all fly agarics with non-amyloid spores. Section Amanita includes species that have very heterogeneous universal veil-like remains, including the vulva, which is reduced to a series of concentric rings and veil-like remains on the cap to a series of foci or warts. Most species in this group also have a convex stalk. Section Amanita consists of the fly agaric and its close relatives, including A. pantherina, A. gemmata, A. farinosa and A. xanthocephala. Modern system classification of fly agaric is based on morphology and spore non-amyloidity. Two recent molecular phylogenetic studies have confirmed this classification as natural. The fly agaric has a varied morphology, and many authorities recognize several subspecies or cultivars within the species. In work " Lamellar mushrooms in modern taxonomy,” German mycologist Rolf Singer listed three subspecies without describing them: A. Muscaria ssp. muscaria, A. muscaria ssp. americana, and A. muscaria ssp. flavivolvata. Modern experts recognize up to seven varieties of fly agaric:

A 2006 molecular phylogenetic study of various regional species of A. muscaria by mycologist József Geml and his colleagues identified three distinct clades within the species, representing, roughly speaking, Eurasian, Eurasian "subalpine", and North American species. Specimens belonging to all three clades have been discovered in Alaska; this has led to the hypothesis that Alaska was the center of diversification for the species. Four named cultivars of this species were also studied: var. alba, var. flavivolvata, var. formosa (including var. guessowii) and var. regalis from both areas. All four varieties have been found in hoards from Eurasia and North America, providing evidence that these morphological forms are polymorphisms and not separate subspecies or varieties. Further molecular research by Geml and colleagues and published in 2008 shows that these three genetic groups, plus a fourth from the oak-hickory-pine forest of the southeastern United States, and two more on Santa Cruz Island in California, sufficiently separated from each other genetically to be considered separate species; thus, A. muscaria is clearly a complex species at this stage. The complex also includes at least three other closely related taxa that are currently considered species: A. breckonii, a light brown-capped mushroom associated with coniferous forests in the Pacific Northwest, and A. gioiosa and A. heterochroma with brown caps from the Mediterranean basin and from Sardinia, respectively. Both of these latter species occur in eucalyptus and cistus trees, and it is unclear whether they are native to Australia or whether they have been introduced here.

Description

A large, conspicuous mushroom, Amanita muscaria tends to be common in areas where it grows and is often found in groups with basidocarps in all stages of development. The fruiting bodies of the fly agaric, emerging from the soil, look like white eggs. After emerging from the ground, the cap is covered with numerous small pyramidal warts ranging from white to yellow. These are the remnants of the universal veil, a membrane that covers the entire mushroom when it is still very young. When the mushroom is dissected at this stage, a characteristic yellowish layer of skin under the veil will be observed, which is useful for identification. As the fungus grows, the red color appears through the veil and the warts become less noticeable; they do not change in size, but decrease in relation to the expanding area of ​​the skin. The shape of the cap changes from spherical to hemispherical, and finally becomes lamellar and flat in mature specimens. The fully grown, bright red cap is usually about 8-20 cm in diameter, although larger specimens have been found. The red color may disappear after rain and also disappears in older mushrooms. Flowing nets are white. Oval spores 6.5-9 microns; they do not turn blue when treated with iodine. The stem of the mushroom is white, 5-20 cm high, and 1-2 cm wide. Has a slightly brittle, fibrous texture typical of many large mushrooms. At the base there is a bulb on which there are universal remains of a veil in the form of two to four different rings. Between the universal remnants of the veil and the reticulum are the remnants of a partial veil (which covers the gills during development) in the form of a white ring. It can be quite wide and sag with age. The mushroom usually has no distinctive odor other than a mild, earthy aroma. Although the fly agaric has a very characteristic appearance, it is mistaken for other yellow and red mushroom species in the Americas, such as Armillaria cf. mellea and the edible Amanita basii, a Mexican species similar to A. caesarea from Europe. According to poison control centers in the United States and Canada, the Mexican folk name for species similar to A. caesarea is amarill (which is Spanish means "yellow"). Amanita caesarea can be distinguished by its entirely orange or red cap, without the numerous white warty spots of the fly agaric. Additionally, the trunk, webs and ring of A. caesarea are bright yellow rather than white. The völva is a distinct white sac and does not break into scales. In Australia, the introduced fly agaric can be confused with the native fly agaric (Amanita xanthocephala), which grows near eucalyptus. The latter species generally lacks the white warts of the fly agaric and does not have any ring.

Distribution and habitats

Amanita muscaria is a cosmopolitan fungus that grows in coniferous and deciduous woodlands throughout the temperate and boreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including at high altitudes in warmer latitudes in regions such as the Hindu Kush, the Mediterranean, and Central America. Recent molecular research suggests that the ancestral origin of the fly agaric is the Siberian-Beringeal region in the Tertiary period, before it spread throughout Asia, Europe and North America. The fruiting season of the fly agaric varies in different climates: fruiting occurs in summer and fall in most of North America, but on the coast Pacific Ocean later - in autumn and early winter. This species is often found in areas where porcini mushrooms grow and can grow in "witch rings" in lawns. Introduced with pine seedlings, the fly agaric has spread widely across the southern hemisphere, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South America, such as the southern Brazilian states of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul. The ectomycorrhizal fly agaric forms a symbiotic relationship with big amount trees, including pine, spruce, fir, birch and cedar. Fly agaric commonly grows under introduced trees, and is considered something of a weed in New Zealand, Tasmania and Victoria, forming new relationships with southern beech (Nothofagus). The species also penetrated a tropical forest in Australia, where it may displace native species. The fungus appears to be spreading north. Recent reports have it occurring near Port Macquarie on the NSW north coast. The fly agaric was discovered under a silver birch (Betula pendula) in Manjimup, Western Australia, in 2010. Although the fly agaric does not appear to have spread to eucalyptus trees in Australia, the symbiosis has been documented in Portugal.

Toxicity

Fly agaric poisoning has occurred among young children and in people who used the mushrooms for hallucinogenic experiences. From time to time, fly agarics are eaten by mistake, as unripe fly agarics resemble rain mushrooms. White spots are sometimes washed off during heavy rains, and then many people mistake the fly agaric for the edible A. caesarea. Fly agaric contains several biologically active substances, at least one of which, muscimol, is psychoactive. Ibotenic acid, a neurotoxin, serves as a prodrug for muscimol. Approximately 10-20% of ibotenic acid is converted to muscimol after ingestion. The active dose in adults is approximately 6 mg muscimol or 30 to 60 mg ibotenic acid; " Arzneimittelforschung (in German). 18 (3): 311–5. PMID 5696006)] this amount is usually contained in one fly agaric cap. The amount and ratio of chemical compounds per mushroom varies widely between regions and seasons. In spring and summer, mushrooms contain up to 10 times more ibotenic acid and muscimol than in autumn. The fatal dose of fly agarics is about 15 caps. Deaths from fly agaric have been documented in historical magazine articles and newspaper reports, but with modern medical care, fatal poisoning from ingestion of this mushroom is extremely rare. In many old books, the fly agaric is called "deadly", but this is an exaggeration. The North American Mycological Association stated that there were no confirmed reports of deaths from eating this mushroom during the 20th century. The vast majority (90% or more) of deaths from mushroom poisoning are associated with the consumption of the greenish or yellowish "death cap", (A. phalloides) or perhaps even one of several white Amanita species, which are known as "angels of destruction". The active components of this species are water-soluble, and boiling and then draining the water will at least partially neutralize the fly agaric. Drying may improve effectiveness as this process converts ibotenic acid into the more potent muscimol. According to some sources, the detoxified mushroom becomes edible.

Pharmacology

Discovered in 1869, muscarine was long believed to be the active agent in the hallucinogenic fly agaric. Muscarine binds to muscarinic cholinergic receptors, which leads to excitation of neurons carrying these receptors. The levels of muscarine in fly agarics are negligible compared to other poisonous mushrooms such as Inocybe erubescens, small white Clitocybe species, C. dealbata and C. rivulosa. The level of muscarine in fly agaric is too low to play a role in the symptoms of poisoning. The main toxins involved in fly agaric poisoning are muscimol (3-hydroxy-5-aminomethyl-1-isoxazole, an unsaturated cyclic hydroxamic acid) and the related amino acid ibotenic acid. Muscimol is a product of the decarboxylation (usually by drying) of ibotenic acid. Muscimol and ibotenic acid were discovered in the mid-20th century. Researchers in England, Japan and Switzerland showed that the effects of fly agaric were due mainly to ibotenic acid and muscimol, rather than muscarine. These toxins are not evenly distributed throughout the mushroom. Most of them are found in the cap of the fruit, a moderate amount is found in the base, and the smallest amount is found in the stem. Quite quickly, 20-90 minutes after administration, a significant part of ibotenic acid is excreted from the body. Muscimol is almost undetectable in urine when ibotenic acid is consumed in its pure form, however, muscimol is found in urine after consumption of fly agaric, which contains ibotenic acid and muscimol. Ibotenic acid and muscimol are structurally related to each other and to the two main neurotransmitters of the central nervous system: glutamic acid and GABA, respectively. Ibotenic acid and muscimol act as these neurotransmitters. Muscimol is a potent GABAA agonist, while ibotenic acid is an agonist at NMDA glutamate receptors and some metabotropic glutamate receptors, which are involved in the control of neuronal activity. It is these interactions, which are believed to cause the psychoactive effects, that are observed during intoxication. Muscimol is the agent responsible for most of the psychoactive effects of fly agaric. Muskasone is another compound that has only recently been isolated from European fly agaric specimens. It is a breakdown product of ibotenic acid under ultraviolet radiation. Muscazone has less pharmacological activity compared to other agents. Amanita muscaria and related species are known to be effective bioaccumulators of vanadium; in some species, vanadium concentrations are up to 400 times higher than those typically found in plants. Vanadium is present in fruiting bodies as an organometallic compound called amavadin. The biological significance of the accumulation process is unknown.

Symptoms

Fly agarics are known for the unpredictability of their effects. Depending on the habitat and the amount of mushroom eaten per body weight, effects can range from nausea and twitching to drowsiness, effects similar to cholinergic crisis (low blood pressure, sweating and salivation), auditory and visual distortions, mood changes, euphoria, relaxation, ataxia and loss of balance. In cases of severe poisoning, the mushroom produces delirium somewhat similar in effect to anticholinergic poisoning (such as that caused by Datura), characterized by bouts of marked agitation with confusion, hallucinations, and irritability, followed by periods of central nervous system depression. Convulsions and coma may also occur in severe poisonings. Symptoms usually begin within about 30 to 90 minutes and peak within three hours, but some effects may last for several days. In most cases, a person recovers within 12-24 hours. The effects vary greatly from person to person. Similar doses can potentially lead to very different reactions. Some people who have been poisoned by fly agaric have suffered headaches for up to ten hours afterwards. After recovery, retrograde amnesia and somnolence may occur.

Treatment

If you suspect poisoning, you should immediately seek medical help. If the delay between consumption of fly agaric and treatment is less than four hours, the patient is given Activated carbon. Gastric lavage may be considered if the patient consumed mushrooms within an hour before seeking help. Inducing vomiting with ipecac syrup is no longer recommended in all cases of poisoning. There is no antidote for fly agaric poisoning, and supportive treatment is the basis for further treatment of intoxication. Although muscimol is sometimes reported to cause delirium, muscimol does not act as an agonist or antagonist at the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor site, and therefore atropine or physostigmine is not recommended as an antidote. If the patient is delirious or agitated, attempts are made to calm him down and, if necessary, physical restraints are used. Benzodiazepines, such as diazepam or lorazepam, may be used to control aggression, agitation, muscle hyperactivity, and seizures. Only small doses should be used as these drugs may worsen the effects of muscimol on respiratory depression. Repeated vomiting is rare, but if present it can lead to fluid and electrolyte imbalances; Intravenous rehydration or electrolyte replenishment may be required. Severe cases may involve loss of consciousness or coma, and may require intubation and mechanical ventilation. Hemodialysis can remove toxins, although this intervention is generally considered unnecessary. With the help of modern medical treatment, the prognosis is usually good with supportive treatment.

Psychoactive uses

The wide range of psychedelic effects of fly agaric can be described in various ways: sedative, sedative-hypnotic, dissociative, and delirium-inducing; Paradoxical effects may also be observed. Perceptual phenomena such as macropsia and micropsia may be observed. It has been suggested that Lewis Carroll wrote Alice's Adventures using fly agarics as inspiration, although "no evidence has been found that Carroll used recreational drugs." Additionally, A. muscaria cannot be commercially cultivated due to its mycorrhizal relationship with pine roots. However, following the outlawing of psilocybin mushrooms in the United Kingdom in 2006, sales of the still legal A. muscaria began to increase. Professor Maria Gimbutas, a famous Lithuanian historian, reported to R. Gordon Wasson about the use of this mushroom in Lithuania. In remote areas of Lithuania, fly agarics are consumed at wedding celebrations, where the mushrooms are mixed with vodka. The professor also said that Lithuanians previously exported fly agarics to Lapps in the regions Far North for use in shamanic rituals. The Lithuanian festivities are the only example Wasson has of the consumption of fly agaric mushrooms for religious use in Eastern Europe.

Siberia

Amanita muscaria was widely used as an entheogen by many of the indigenous peoples of Siberia. Its use was known among almost all Ural-speaking peoples Western Siberia and Paleo-Asiatic-speaking peoples of the Russian Far East. There are only isolated reports of the use of fly agaric among the Tungus and Turkic peoples of Central Siberia, and it is believed that, in general, the entheogenic use of fly agaric was not practiced among these peoples. In Western Siberia, the use of fly agaric was limited to shamans, who used it as an alternative way to achieve a trance state. (As a rule, Siberian shamans achieve trance through prolonged drumming and dancing). IN Eastern Siberia A. muscaria has been used by both shamans and lay people, and it has also been used recreationally as well as for religious purposes. In Eastern Siberia, a shaman took mushrooms and others drank his urine. This urine, while still containing psychoactive elements, may have been more potent than the mushrooms themselves, and also had fewer negative effects such as sweating and twitching. It is speculated that the original user may have acted as a screening filter for other components in the mushroom. The Koryaks in Eastern Siberia have a story about how the fly agaric (wapaq) allowed the Big Raven to carry a whale to his home. In the story, the deity Vahiyinin ("Existence") spat on the ground and his phlegm became wapaq and his saliva became warts. After experiencing the power of wapaq, Raven was so inspired that he said that this mushroom will remain on earth forever so that his children, the people, can learn from it. It is a common practice among the Koryaks for the poor to drink the urine of the rich, who can afford to buy mushrooms.

Other usage reports

Finnish historian T. I. Itkonen mentions that fly agaric was once used by the Sami people: sorcerers in Inari used fly agarics with seven spots. In 1979, Said Ghulam Mokhtar and Hartmut Girkin published a paper in which they claimed to have discovered a tradition of medicinal and recreational use of this mushroom among a group of people in Afghanistan who speak the Parachi language. There are also unconfirmed reports of religious use of fly agaric among two subarctic Indian tribes. Ethnobotanist Keewaydinoquay Peschel wrote about the use of fly agaric among the Ojibwe people, where it was known as miskwedo. This information was greeted with enthusiasm by Wasson, although no data was available from other sources.

Vikings

The suggestion that the Vikings used fly agaric to incite the rage of the berserkers was first made by Swedish professor Samuel Odman in 1784. Odman's theories are based on reports of the use of fly agarics among Siberian shamans. This concept has become widespread since the 19th century, but in no modern source there is no mention of this or similar use in the description of berserkers. Muscimol is generally a mild relaxant, but it can create a range of different reactions in a group of people. It is possible that it can make a person angry, or cause a person to be "very happy or sad, jump, dance, sing or be very scared."

Fly trap

Amanita muscaria is traditionally used to catch flies, possibly because it contains ibotenic acid and muscimol. A recent analysis of nine different methods for producing fly agaric in Slovenia showed that the release of ibotenic acid and muscimol was independent of the solvent (water or milk), and that heat and mechanical treatment resulted in faster extraction of ibotenic acid and muscimol.

In religion

Soma

In 1968, R. Gordon Wasson proposed that the fly agaric is a soma from the Indian Rig Veda. This assumption gained wide popularity and popular support at the time. The scientist noted that there is no description of the roots, stems or seeds of the soma, and it can be assumed that the soma is a mushroom, and the author interprets the adjective hári (“dazzling” or “fiery”) to mean “red color.” One of the lines of the Rig Veda describes a man defecating with soma, which is reminiscent of the practice of disposing of urine in Siberia. Soma is referred to as "coming from the mountains", which Wasson interpreted as a mushroom brought by Aryan invaders from the north. Indian scholars Santosh Kumar Dash and Sachinanda Padhy noted that eating fly agarics and drinking urine were prohibited, using the Manu Smriti as the source. In 1971, the Vedic scholar John Brough of the University of Cambridge rejected Wasson's theory and noted that the formulation was too vague to define a description of soma. In his 1976 study Hallucinogens and Culture, anthropologist Peter T. Furst assessed the evidence for and against identifying the fly agaric as the Vedic Soma, cautiously concluding in favor of such a claim.

Christianity

Philologist, archaeologist and scroll scholar Dead Sea John Marco Allegro, in his 1970 book The Sacred Mushroom and the Cross, proposed that early Christian theology arose from a fertility cult revolving around the entheogenic consumption of fly agaric, but his theory found little support from scholars outside the field of ethnomycology. The book has been discredited by scholars and theologians, including Sir Godfrey Driver, emeritus professor of Semitic philology at Oxford University, and Henry Chadwick, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. Christian author John S. King wrote a detailed refutation of Allegro's theory in 1970, in A Christian View of the Mushroom Myth; he notes that neither fly agarics nor their host trees grow in the Middle East, although cedars and pines are found there, and emphasizes the superficial nature of the connections between the biblical and Sumerian names coined by Allegro. He concludes that if this theory is correct, the use of the mushroom must be the "best kept secret on the planet", having been well hidden for two thousand years.

Culinary use

The toxins contained in fly agaric are water soluble. Thinly sliced ​​or finely diced and boiled in copious amounts of water until completely cooked, fly agaric is completely harmless. Although consumption of fly agaric as food has never been widespread, consumption of detoxified A. muscaria has been practiced in parts of Europe (notably by Russian settlers in Siberia) since at least the 19th century and probably earlier. German physician and naturalist Georg Heinrich von Langsdorff wrote the earliest published report on how to detoxify this mushroom in 1823. In the late 19th century, French physician Felix Archimedes Pouchet was a popularizer and advocate of fly agaric consumption, comparing it to cassava, an important food source in tropical South America that must be rendered harmless before consumption. The use of this fungus as a food source also occurred in North America. The classic description of such use of fly agaric by an African-American mushroom seller in Washington, D.C., was made in the late 19th century by American botanist Frederick Vernon Coville. In this case, the mushroom, after steaming and soaking in vinegar, turns into mushroom sauce for steak. It is also consumed as food in some areas of Japan. Most Well Known modern use fly agaric as an edible mushroom - in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. First of all, the mushroom is salted and pickled. A 2008 article by food historian William Rubel and mycologist David Arora describes the history of the fly agaric as food and also describes methods for detoxifying it. Rubel and Aror advocate for fly agaric to be classified in guidelines as an edible mushroom, with accompanying information on how to detoxify it. The authors argue that the widespread descriptions of this mushroom in reference books as poisonous are a reflection of cultural prejudice, as are several other popular edible species Mushrooms, particularly morels, are toxic if not cooked properly.

Legal status

Australia

Muscimol, found in fly agaric, is a Schedule 9 banned substance in Australia according to the Poisons Standard (October 2015). Scheduled substances are substances that may be subject to abuse or misuse. The manufacture, possession, sale or use of these substances should be prohibited by law, except when required for medical or scientific research purposes, or for analytical or educational purposes with the approval of health authorities.

Netherlands

Amanita muscaria and Amanita panther have been illegal to buy, sell or possess since December 2008. Possession of fly agarics in quantities exceeding 0.5 g dried or 5 g fresh is a criminal offense.

Great Britain

The production, supply and import of fly agaric is illegal under the Psychoactive Substances Act, which came into force on 26 May 2016.

Cultural images

The red and white spotted grebe is a common image in many aspects of folk culture. Garden decorations and children's picture books featuring gnomes and fairies such as the Smurfs often feature fly agarics used as seats or houses. Fly agarics have been depicted in paintings since the Renaissance. IN Victorian era, mushrooms become main theme some paintings on the theme of magic. Two of the most famous images of fly agarics are in the Super Mario Bros. video game series, and in the mushroom dance in the 1940 Disney film Fantasia.

Literature

An account of Philipp von Strahlenberg's journey through Siberia, and a description of the use of fly agaric, was published on English language in 1736. Drinking the urine of mushroom users was commented on by the Anglo-Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith in his popular 1762 novel Citizen of the World. By this time, the mushroom was identified as fly agaric. Other authors have described distortions in the size of perceived objects during mushroom intoxication, including naturalist Mordecai Cubitt Cook in his books The Seven Sisters of Sleep and A Simple Description of British Mushrooms. These effects are believed to be the basis for the mushroom effects in the popular 1865 story Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The hallucinogenic "scarlet toadstool" from Lappland is featured as a plot element in Charles Kingsley's 1866 novel Hereward. In Thomas Pynchon's 1973 novel Gravity's Rainbow, the mushroom is described as "a relative of the poisonous destroying angel" and given detailed description preparing cookies from a mixture with fly agarics. The use of fly agaric in shamanic practice was also explored in Alan Garner's 2003 novel Thursbitch.

Fly agaric is the king of mushrooms, decorating the forest thicket with lanterns of bright scarlet caps dotted with white specks. Helpful imagination completes pictures from old children's fairy tales, where Baba Yaga brews a magic potion from it.

Types of fly agarics.

Fly agaric is a genus of mycorrhiza-forming lamellar fungi of the Amanitaceae family. The same name is used for a mushroom with a red cap with white speckles. Fly agaric is a poisonous mushroom. The Latin name for the genus of fly agaric mushrooms is Amánita. There are more than 600 species in the fly agaric family. There are several options for the taxonomy of these fungi, the most famous are the classifications of E. Gilbert, Garsens, Jenkins. In the modern scientific community, the most authoritative system is R. Singer.

The color of the fly agaric depends on its type. The caps of different types of fly agarics can be red, yellow, white, green, brown, orange. The most famous fly agarics are the stinking fly agaric, the royal fly agaric, and the Caesar mushroom.

Fly agaric - description and photo.

Fly agaric is a fairly large mushroom with a fleshy body and a stalk. In young specimens, the cap is dome-shaped, and as it grows it opens up like an umbrella. The leg of the fly agaric is expanded towards the base and is easily separated from the cap. The top of the leg is framed by a “skirt” - the remains of a shell in which very young individuals are enclosed. The color of the fly agaric cap can vary depending on the type of fly agaric, place of growth and age. The fly agaric mushroom reproduces by spores that look like white powder.

Fly agaric - properties.

The fly agaric mushroom is known for its hallucinogenic properties, and some types of fly agaric mushrooms are deadly poisonous. Ibotenic acid, muscarine and other components are to blame for this. The fly agaric poison spreads throughout the body quickly, so that signs of fly agaric poisoning appear approximately 15 minutes after eating poisonous mushrooms. Even children know about fly agaric and its poisonous properties.

Is it possible to eat fly agarics?

To be fair, it should be noted that edible fly agaric is also found in the forests. The Caesar mushroom () grows in the Mediterranean, which was considered a delicacy in ancient times. The Roman commander Lucullus, a recognized gourmet, ordered it to be served as the main dish at his feasts. And yet, experts do not recommend experimenting with your health and eating fly agaric, although in some Asian countries they love this mushroom.

Where do fly agarics grow?

It is very easy to find fly agaric in the forest. This beautiful but poisonous mushroom is found almost everywhere; its varieties are found even in Australia. In Russia, fly agaric grows in both coniferous and deciduous forests. You can also see fly agaric in the tundra, among dwarf birches. Amanita mushrooms grow both in groups and individually. The growing season is quite long: from early summer to November.

The fly agaric, described above, can be found from June to September.

Leopard fly agaric

May also be called panther mushroom. Like the previous two types, it is not suitable for human consumption. Otherwise, serious poisoning cannot be avoided. It can lead to death, but not always.

The pulp has a very pleasant aroma, which is often confused with the smell of the gray-pink fly agaric, which is edible. You can often find it in deciduous and coniferous forests. Read on for a description of this miracle of nature.

The hat can reach 9 centimeters in diameter. It has a gray-brown, ocher-brown or even surface strewn with small white warts, which are associated with droplets of milk. The plates located under the mushroom cap are white. The same color scheme is characteristic of the pulp. The smell is reminiscent of radishes. The leg of the fly agaric is hollow, thin, and characterized by a cylindrical shape. It can reach 13 centimeters in length. At the base there is a thickening in the form of tubers with several belts (usually 2-3). The decor of the leg is a filmy ring, often barely noticeable.

The mushroom grows from mid-summer to mid-autumn.

Amanita toadstool

This mushroom is also known as lemon or white inedible fly agaric. Its description is similar to the red species. However, this mushroom is inferior to it both in attractiveness and size. A little earlier, the fly agaric was included in the class of poisonous, but now scientists have excluded it from this list and included it in the class of inedible. These mushrooms are overly bitter, have an unpleasant aroma, and taste like raw potatoes.

The cap does not exceed 10 cm in diameter. When the mushroom is young, it is painted white, but when the mature stage of life begins, the cap acquires a yellowish-green or even brownish tint, and large gray growths appear on its surface. The plates are cream or white in color, with a flaky coating on the edges. The pulp is white or lemon-colored. The height of the leg does not exceed 12 cm, it is characterized by special thinness and decor in the form of a sagging beige ring. The base is expanded, giving rise to a tuberous thickening.

The toadstool fly agaric, the description of which we have just considered, bears fruit from late summer to mid-autumn. One of the varieties of this mushroom is the lemon white fly agaric, the key feature of which is its pure white color.

Fly agaric orange

Although this mushroom is recognized as edible (after appropriate processing), many consider it poisonous. By external signs it is very similar to the dangerous bright yellow fly agaric. Photos and description are presented below.

hat in at a young age characterized by an ovoid shape, and when mature - flat. The maximum possible diameter is 10 centimeters. A clear sign orange mushroom - a dark bulge that is located in the center. The color of the fly agaric cap itself can be gray or orange and their shades. The skin is smooth. The edges of the cap are decorated with grooves.

The leg can reach 15 centimeters in length, so it is considered elongated. As a rule, it has a pure white color, but visible inclusions of brown are possible. The lower part is widened.

This mushroom is collected from August to September.

Fly agaric gray-pink

Known as the blushing mushroom. At first glance, you cannot say that it is edible, because it looks completely unappetizing. But, despite this, he refers to He amazes with his taste qualities both fried and marinated. And this fly agaric is loved not only by people, but also by insects: flies, worms. If you come across a wormy red fly agaric, don't be surprised.

The hat is no more than 18 centimeters in diameter. The characteristic shape is hemispherical for a young mushroom and tuberous-convex at the stage of the mature life cycle. The color of the cap is gray-pink. On the surface there is a mass of gray (less often brown) warty-type growths that look like flakes. The plates are white, but may have a slightly pink tint, which makes it possible to distinguish an old fly agaric. The description also indicates that these partitions are densely located.

The pulp is fleshy, impressively thick, white or pale pink in color. At the site of the break, it gradually turns pink and acquires a wine color. That is why this fly agaric is called the blushing fly agaric. The pulp tastes sweetish. There is no specific smell.

The height of the leg varies up to 15 centimeters. As the mushroom matures, its color can vary from light to dark pink. At the base there is a tuber-shaped thickening.

These mushrooms can be collected in grassy areas from early summer to mid-autumn.

Amanita Caesar

This species is also called Caesar's mushroom. This is one of the most delicious edible fly agarics. It has excellent taste and medicinal properties.

The diameter of the cap can range from 8 to 20 centimeters, and has an ovoid or hemispherical shape. Initially it is characterized by a convexity, but as the mushroom matures it becomes flatter. The skin of the cap is golden-orange or bright red, rarely yellowish.

The fly agaric mushroom, the photo and description of which you have just seen, is popularly referred to as the royal or caesarean mushroom.

Any edible mushroom needs to be cooked before eating.

Red fly agaric (lat. Amanita muscaria) is a poisonous mushroom with psychotropic and toxic effects, which belongs to the class of Agaricomycetes, order Agaricales, family Amanitaceae, genus and subgenus Amanita.

Red fly agaric gets its name from the ancient way of using this mushroom as a means of controlling flies. The species name muscaria comes from Latin word(musca), and this fly agaric is called red because of the characteristic bright red color of the cap.

Red fly agaric - description, characteristics.

Hat.

Young red fly agarics have a spherical cap, which over time takes on the shape of a flat and sometimes concave saucer. The diameter of the cap ranges from 8 to 20 cm, rarely reaching 25 cm. The shiny skin is usually bright orange or red. varying degrees intensity, often covered with sticky, mucous secretion. In North America, there are varieties of red fly agaric that have a white or yellow cap.

The surface of the cap is strewn with layers of warty, scaly white flakes - the remnants of a blanket that protects the fruiting body of young mushrooms. In old fly agaric mushrooms, these characteristic growths can be washed away by rain, but in young ones they often fly off. There is also a species of red fly agaric that does not have flakes (for example, Amanita muscaria var. aureola).

The edges of the cap may be striped (covered with scars).

Records.

The inner surface of the red fly agaric cap is formed by frequent, free plates 6-12 mm wide, between which there are many intermediate plates. In young mushrooms, the color of the plates is pure white or cream; with age, they acquire a yellowish tint.

Leg.

The leg of the red fly agaric is white or slightly yellowish, grows from 8 to 20 cm in height, has a thickness of 1 to 3.5 cm and is cylindrical in shape with a tuberous thickening at the base. Young mushrooms have a dense stem, which becomes hollow as they grow.

Remains of the bedspread.

At the top of the leg, a fibrous membranous ring-skirt with uneven edges and a ribbed surface, falling in a wide flounce, is clearly defined. In the lower part of the leg there is an adherent multilayer vagina in the form of several rings.

Pulp.

The flesh of the red fly agaric is white, under the skin of the cap it is pale orange or yellowish. Does not change color when cut. The taste is sweetish. The smell is inexpressive.

Spores and spore powder.

The spore powder of the fruiting body is white. The spores are smooth, colorless, ellipsoidal in shape, measuring 10-12 x 6-7 microns.

Where does the red fly agaric grow?

Red fly agaric and its varieties can be in symbiosis with poplars, willows, and grow widely on moist acidic soils. The poisonous mushroom grows in abundance in coniferous, mixed and deciduous forests, along the edges of meadows and fields, and is often found in city parks and squares. Usually appears in the middle or end of summer and bears fruit until October; in good years, the first bright caps of red fly agarics begin to please the eye already in June. The range of the red fly agaric includes the countries of Europe and Asia, Northern and South America, the territory of Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.

Similar species.

Caesar's mushroom (edible Caesar's fly agaric) (lat. Amanita caesarea). Inexperienced mushroom pickers can sometimes confuse the red fly agaric with the edible one, which is found in the Caucasus, Crimea, Transcarpathia and Mediterranean countries. Caesar's mushroom, or as it is often called Caesar's fly agaric, differs from the red fly agaric in the absence of characteristic flakes on the cap, as well as the stem and plates, painted in a golden yellow color.

Varieties of red fly agaric, photos and names.

Mycologists distinguish several varieties of red fly agaric, which differ in their color and places of growth:

• Amanita muscaria var. muscaria- some foreign authors use this name to designate fly agarics, whose range covers Eurasia and the western part of Alaska. Mushrooms of this variety have a traditional appearance for the red fly agaric: a red cap covered with characteristic white flakes.

• Yellow-orange fly agaric (Amanita muscaria var. formosa) - a subspecies of the red fly agaric, the cap of which is yellow or light orange in color and covered with a characteristic flake-like coating - the remains of a protective blanket. Young fly agarics have a spherical cap, and over time it straightens out to almost flat. The inner surface of the cap is formed by frequent, loosely seated white or cream-colored plates. The flesh of poisonous mushrooms is dense and always white. The leg is smooth, cylindrical in shape, its surface and ring in the upper part are white, and there are also remains of a white blanket at the base. Fly agaric grows in summer and autumn in coniferous and deciduous forests of North America.

• Amanita muscaria var. alba- rare variety red fly agaric, distinguished by a white cap strewn with layers of white flakes. The caps of young mushrooms have a dome shape, later the surface of the cap is completely straightened. On the stalk of poisonous fly agarics there is a smooth white ring. Below the ring the surface of the stalk is fibrous, above the ring the stalk is smooth. The plates under the cap are frequent and loose, the flesh is white and dense. A variety of this red fly agaric is found in summer and autumn in both coniferous and deciduous forests.

• fly agaric golden (Amanita muscaria var. aureola, Agaricus aureolus) is a species of red fly agaric, very similar in appearance to the edible Caesar mushroom. Distinctive feature poisonous mushroom is a smooth, glossy orange skin, devoid of a coating of characteristic white flakes. Initially, the cap of the golden fly agaric has a round shape, over time it becomes saucer-like; in some mushrooms, remnants of a cover may be observed on the surface. The diameter of the cap usually does not exceed 3-8 cm; frequent white plates grow on its lower surface. The height of the leg is from 6 to 12 cm, the diameter is from 0.9 to 1.2 cm. The surface of the leg is white, at the base there is a short volva (remains of a protective blanket). At the top of the leg there is a ring, white on top and yellowish below. The flesh of the fly agaric can be white or yellowish. The mushroom bears fruit in summer, found in both deciduous and coniferous forests.

• Amanita muscaria var. flavivolvata- a species of red fly agaric, the habitat of which stretches from the south of Alaska through Central America and to Colombia. Fruits in summer and fall, but is occasionally found in winter in California. At the beginning of growth, the cap of the red fly agaric has the shape of a dome, then completely flattens. The diameter of the cap is 5-25 cm. The skin is bright red, with grooved edges, covered with layers of white or yellowish flakes. The lower surface of the cap is formed by frequent, free white plates, between which there are intermediate plates. The length of the leg reaches 5-18 cm, the thickness is 1-3 cm. Top part the legs are surrounded by a ring, the surface above the ring is smooth, below is fibrous. The flesh of the red fly agaric is dense, white, with a weakly expressed taste and aroma.

• Amanita muscaria var. guessowii- a species of red fly agaric native to northeastern North America. According to some mycologists, this fly agaric is an independent species, others consider it a synonym for the fly agaric Amanita muscaria var. formosa. The cap of young mushrooms is dome-shaped and becomes almost flat with age. The surface of the cap is yellow or orange, but the center is always darker - orange or reddish. The white flakes characteristic of most fly agarics acquire a dirty tint over time. The diameter of the cap ranges from 4.5 to 18 cm; its lower surface is formed by particularly frequent, free white plates. The leg, 6-15 cm high and 0.6 to 2.1 cm in diameter, is white or yellowish and widens downward. At the top there is a white ring resembling a skirt. Above the ring the surface of the stalk is smooth, below it is fibrous. The flesh of red fly agarics is white and dense. The color of the Volva is white or yellowish; often the Volva is completely invisible and is located almost underground. This variety of red fly agaric grows in coniferous and deciduous forests in summer and autumn.

• Amanita muscaria var. persicina- a species of red fly agaric, which, according to researchers, can in the future be isolated in independent species. The diameter of the cap of the fruiting body ranges from 4 to 13 cm. At first, the cap has a convex surface in the shape of a hemisphere, but in mature mushrooms it becomes flat. The cap is distinguished by a peach or orange-peach hue, unusual for fly agarics, with a darker, often reddish center. The edges of the cap are initially smooth, but in adulthood they become covered with grooves. The surface of the cap is dotted with pale yellow flakes. The underside of the red fly agaric cap consists of loose plates with slightly shaggy edges, colored cream with a slight pinkish tint. The height of the leg reaches 4-10 cm, and its thickness is about 1-2 cm. The upper part of the leg is painted yellowish, becoming noticeably lighter towards the bottom. In some fly agarics, the stem tapers towards the cap. The ring under the fly agaric cap is very small and almost invisible; in some mushrooms it is completely absent. The surface of the ring, like most fly agarics, is yellowish below and pure white above. At the base of the leg there are rings of irregular shape, which are the remnants of a protective blanket; in some fly agarics they may be completely absent. The flesh of the mushroom is white and does not change color when damaged. Poisonous fly agaric grows under oak trees in North America (in the southeastern United States, from Texas to Georgia and north to New Jersey). It usually bears fruit in autumn, but is sometimes found in spring and summer.

• Amanita muscaria var. inzengae- a type of red fly agaric with an orange-red cap, the center of which has more dark shade. In young mushrooms, the cap is dome-shaped and becomes prostrate as the fruiting body develops. Old and young red fly agarics have skin covered with characteristic flakes of white or yellowish color. The lower surface of the cap is represented by frequent, wide, free plates. The flesh of the fly agaric is white, without a pronounced taste or aroma. The leg of these fly agarics is quite high, widened at the base, and almost at the very bottom contains the remains of a bedspread, transformed into grooved rings. At the top of the stem there is a noticeable wide white ring; in some mushrooms, the edges of the ring are surrounded by a yellow border. In the lower half of the leg there is a volva formed by overlapping yellowish rings.

• Amanita muscaria var. fuligineoverrucosa- poisonous variety red fly agarics with red-orange skin on a cap covered with white flakes. Representatives of this variety form mycorrhiza exclusively with willow and poplar.