Amanita muscaria

[1] Amanita muscaria

Amanita muscaria, also known as fly agaric, is a basidiomycete fungus native to temperate and boreal regions in the Norther Hemisphere. Amanita muscaria are cosmopolitan species and associates with a variety of deciduous and coniferous trees. Easily recognizable for their iconic toadstool appearance, Amanita muscaria are poisonous and contain psychoactive constituents.

[2]Amanita muscaria phylogenic tree

Taxonomy

 Kingdom: Fungi 
     Phylum: Basidiomycota
        Class: Agaricomycetes
           Order: Agaricales
              family: Amanitaceae

Overview

Amanita muscaria has many variations in regional subspecies which can be distinguished by their environment and physiology. [3]

Amanita muscaria subspecies

Image	Scientific name	Common name	Description
[3]	Amanita muscaria var. muscaria	Euro-Asian fly agaric	The muscaria variation has a bright red cap and originated from northern Europe and Asia. Cap may also be orange or yellow due to slow development of the purple pigment.
[4]	Amanita muscaria var. flavivolvata	American fly agaric	The flavivolvata variation is red with yellow to yellowish-white warts. It is found from southern Alaska down through Central America, all the way to Andean Colombia.
[5]	Amanita muscaria var. guessowii	American fly agaric (yellow variant)	The guessowii variation has a yellow to orange cap, with the center often having an orange or red gradient.
[6]	Amanita muscaria var. inzengae	Inzenga's fly agaric	The inzengae variation has a pale yellow to orange-yellow cap with yellowish warts and a tan stem.

Ecology

Fly agarlic has been used historically as a pesticide by combining the mushroom with milk and spraying on plants. The practice of using amanita muscaria for pest management in Germanic and Slavic speaking parts of Europe lead to the fungus claiming the common name "fly agarlic" for its ability to kill flies.[2]

[7] Digitalis purpurea

[8] Digitalis purpea illustration.

Medicinal Use

[5]

References

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2. Wasson, R. Gordon. Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1973.

3. North Carolina State University. (n.d.). Amanita muscaria. Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric, Fly Amanita) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/amanita-muscaria/

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