Amanita royal - description, where it grows, poisonous mushroom

Amanita royal is a mushroom of the fly agaric family, characterized by high toxicity (causes intoxication and the appearance of hallucinations). The main place of distribution of this species is the central part of Russia and a number of European countries (north, center).

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The hat of representatives of this species is quite large - in diameter reaches 250 mm. In young mushrooms, the shape is spherical, with the edges firmly pressed to the body of the legs. With growth, the shape changes - the edges straighten (convex-spread). The surface of this part of the fungus is densely dotted with characteristic warty growths of white and yellowish color. The color of the cap itself varies from tan to ocher brown. The color of the cap in the central, more convex part is darker.

The plate-like body under the hat is light in color, with the growth of the fungus, the plates become yellowish. The pulp of the fruiting body is quite thick, brittle, light, practically does not have any pronounced odor.

The height of the foot of the royal fly agaric has a fairly large range of lengths - from 80 to 250 mm, the width reaches 30 mm. In young specimens, it is tuberous, in adult fungi it is more slender, with a characteristic extension at the base, hollow. The surface of the legs is covered with a coating of light flakes, the main color of this part of the fly agaric is ocher brown. Also on the leg there is also a slightly sagging ring with a smooth surface of white color (dark yellow bordering).

Growth Features

Similarity

Often, many ordinary people confuse the royal fly agaric with such related species as the usual red and panther, this is due to the similarity of their appearance. Nevertheless, upon closer examination of the royal fly agaric, one can notice that this species of the representatives of the fly agaric family, unlike the traditional and often found red, does not have a hint of a characteristic bright red color of the hat. The main colors of this type of mushroom are brownish, yellow and white. In addition, the royal fly agaric differs from other species of the family in yellowish flakes, which densely cover the legs.

Often, royal fly agarics are confused with gray-pink fly agaric, this is due to climatic conditions, because of which this species often has a paler color, that is, the mushroom cap has an inexpressive brownish-yellow color. These species can be recognized by the color of the flesh on the cut; in the gray-pink fly agaric, it is reddish.

Another mushroom resembling a royal fly agaric is a panther, the main difference of the latter is the characteristic white flesh of the cap and not grown, a cup-shaped volva located at the base of the leg.

Species poison

The main components that make up the fruit body of the royal fly agaric are ibotenic acid and muscimol, which, in fact, distinguishes this species from the panther and red fly agaric, which contain muscarine.

As a rule, the first symptoms after eating mushrooms occur 2 hours after their use and are manifested by severe pain in the stomach, upset stools and frequent gagging.Also an additional characteristic symptom of poisoning is a rather strong nervous excitement, as well as auditory and visual hallucinations.

The peculiarity of mushrooms is their ability to significantly accumulate salts of heavy metals (for example, about 1000 mg of vanadium per 1000 grams of dry raw materials). This is a fairly large indicator, the average content of this metal in other types of mushrooms, as a rule, does not exceed 2-3 mg per 1 kilogram of dry raw materials.

Hallucinogenic properties

As a rule, the dream is not complete, with visions. Increases sensitivity to sounds. The duration of the hallucinogenic effect does not exceed 5-6 hours. Side effects include nausea, which occurs in the first hours after eating mushrooms and abdominal pain.

Video: Royal fly agaric - poisonous and rare!