View source for Amanita

{{Short description|Genus of mushrooms}}
{{About|the genus of mushrooms|other uses|Amanita (disambiguation)}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Fliegenpilz-1.jpg
| image_caption = ''[[Amanita muscaria]]''<br />Albin Schmalfuß, 1869
| taxon = Amanita
| authority = [[Christian Hendrik Persoon|Pers.]] (1794)
| type_species = ''[[Amanita muscaria]]''
| type_species_authority = ([[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]) [[Jean-Baptiste Lamarck|Lam.]] (1783)
| diversity = c. 600 species
| diversity_link = List of Amanita species
| synonyms = ''Amanitopsis'' <small>Roze</small><br>
''Amarrendia'' <small>Bougher & T. Lebel</small><br>
''Torrendia'' <small>[[Giacomo Bresadola|Bres.]]</small>
}}

The [[genus]] '''''Amanita''''' contains about 600 [[species]] of [[agaric]]s, including some of the most [[toxic]] known [[mushrooms]] found worldwide, as well as some well-regarded [[Edible mushroom|edible]] species (and many species of unknown edibility). The genus is responsible for approximately 95% of fatalities resulting from [[mushroom poisoning]], with the [[death cap]] accounting for about 50% on its own. The most potent toxin synthesized by this genus is {{nowrap|[[α-Amanitin]]}}.

The genus also contains many edible mushrooms, but mycologists discourage mushroom hunters from selecting any of these for human consumption due to the potentially lethal consequences of misidentification. Nonetheless, in some cultures, the larger local edible species of ''Amanita'' are mainstays of the markets in the local growing season. Samples of this are ''[[Amanita zambiana]]'' and other fleshy species in central [[Africa]], ''[[Amanita basii|A.&nbsp;basii]]'' and similar species in [[Mexico]], ''[[Amanita caesarea|A.&nbsp;caesarea]]'' and the "Blusher" ''[[Amanita rubescens|A.&nbsp;rubescens]]'' in [[Europe]], and ''[[Amanita chepangiana|A.&nbsp;chepangiana]]'' in [[Southeast Asia]]. Other species are used for colouring sauces, such as the red ''[[Amanita jacksonii|A.&nbsp;jacksonii]]'', with a range from eastern [[Canada]] to eastern Mexico.

==Taxonomy==
The genus ''Amanita'' was first published with its current meaning by [[Christian Hendrik Persoon]] in 1797.<ref>Persoon, C.H. (1797) ''Tent. disp. meth. fung.'': 65</ref> Under the ''International Code of Botanical Nomenclature'', Persoon's concept of ''Amanita'', with ''[[Amanita muscaria]]'' (L.) Pers. as the type species, has been officially conserved against the older ''Amanita'' Boehm (1760), which is considered a synonym of ''[[Agaricus]]''&nbsp;L.<ref>J. McNeill et al. (eds)(2006) ''International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Vienna, 2005)'', Appendix IIIA Nomina generica conservanda et rejicienda, B. Fungi  {{cite web|url=http://ibot.sav.sk/icbn/main.htm |title=INTERNATIONAL CODE OF BOTANICAL NOMENCLATURE online |access-date=2012-10-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121006231936/http://ibot.sav.sk/icbn/main.htm |archive-date=2012-10-06 }}</ref>

{{gallery|mode=packed
|Fly agaric.png|The very-recognizable [[fly agaric]]
}}

=== Etymology ===
The name is possibly derived from [[Nur Mountains|Amanus]] ({{langx|grc|Ἁμανός}}), a mountain in [[Cilicia]], or from [[Amantia]], an ancient city in the transboundary region between Epirus or southern Illyria in antiquity.

==Toxicity==
[[File:Amanita phalloides young.jpg|thumb|''[[Amanita phalloides|A. phalloides]]'', the death cap]]

Several members of the section ''Phalloidieae'' are notable for their toxicity, containing toxins known as [[amatoxin]]s, which can cause liver failure and death. These include the death cap ''[[Amanita phalloides|A. phalloides]]''; species known as [[destroying angel]]s, including ''[[Amanita virosa|A.&nbsp;virosa]]'', ''[[Destroying angel|A.&nbsp;bisporigera]]'' and ''[[Amanita ocreata|A.&nbsp;ocreata]]''; and the fool's mushroom, ''[[Amanita verna|A.&nbsp;verna]]''.

More recently, a series in the subgenus ''Lepidella'' has been found to cause acute kidney failure, including ''[[Amanita smithiana|A.&nbsp;smithiana]]'' of northwestern North America, ''[[Amanita pseudoporphyria|A.&nbsp;pseudoporphyria]]'' of Japan, and ''[[Amanita proxima|A. proxima]]'' of southern Europe.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Saviuc | first1 = P. | last2 = Danel | first2 = V. | title = New Syndromes in Mushroom Poisoning | journal = Toxicological Reviews | volume = 25 | pages = 199–209 | year = 2006 | doi = 10.2165/00139709-200625030-00004| pmid=17192123| issue=3| s2cid = 24320633 }}</ref><ref>Loizides M, Bellanger JM, Yiangou Y, Moreau PA. (2018). Preliminary phylogenetic investigations into the genus ''Amanita'' (Agaricales) in Cyprus, with a review of previous records and poisoning incidents. Documents Mycologiques 37: 201–218.</ref>
{{Clear left}}

==Edibility==
[[Image:Amanite Oronge 01.jpg|thumb|''[[Amanita caesarea|A. caesarea]]'' (edible)]]

Although many species of ''Amanita'' are edible, including all of ''sect. Caesareae'' and ''sect. Vaginatae'' (together comprising hundreds of species), many fungi experts advise against eating a member of ''Amanita'' unless the species is known with absolute certainty.<ref name="Field Guide to Mushrooms">{{cite book| first=Gary| last=Lincoff| title=National Audubon Society Field Guide to Muschrooms| year=1981| isbn=0-394-51992-2|page=25 |publisher=Knopf; A Chanticleer Press ed edition}}</ref> Because so many species within this [[genus]] are so deadly toxic, if a specimen is identified incorrectly, consumption may cause extreme sickness and possibly death.

===Edible===
Edible species of ''Amanita'' include ''[[Amanita fulva]]'', ''[[Amanita vaginata|A.&nbsp;vaginata]]'' (grisette), ''[[Amanita lanei|A.&nbsp;calyptrata]]'' (coccoli), ''[[Amanita crocea|A.&nbsp;crocea]]'', ''[[Amanita rubescens|A.&nbsp;rubescens]]'' (blusher), ''[[Amanita caesarea|A.&nbsp;caesarea]]'' (Caesar's mushroom), and ''[[Amanita jacksonii|A.&nbsp;jacksonii]]'' (American Caesar's mushroom).

===Inedible===
Inedible species of ''Amanita'' include ''[[Amanita albocreata]]'' (ringless panther), ''[[Amanita atkinsoniana|A.&nbsp;atkinsoniana]]'', ''[[Amanita citrina|A.&nbsp;citrina]]'' (false death cap), ''[[Amanita excelsa|A.&nbsp;excelsa]]'', ''A.&nbsp;flavorubescens'',<!-- Possibly poisonous -->{{sfn|Phillips|2010|p=28}} ''[[Amanita franchetii|A.&nbsp;franchetii]]'', ''[[Amanita longipes|A.&nbsp;longipes]]'', ''[[Amanita onusta|A.&nbsp;onusta]]'', ''[[Amanita rhopalopus|A.&nbsp;rhopalopus]]'', ''A.&nbsp;silvicola'',{{sfn|Phillips|2010|p=27}} ''[[Amanita sinicoflava|A.&nbsp;sinicoflava]]'', ''[[Amanita spreta|A.&nbsp;spreta]]'', and ''[[Amanita volvata|A.&nbsp;volvata]]''.

===Poisonous===
Poisonous species include ''[[Amanita brunnescens]]'', ''[[Amanita cokeri|A.&nbsp;cokeri]]'' (Coker's amanita), ''[[Amanita crenulata|A.&nbsp;crenulata]]'', ''[[Amanita farinosa|A.&nbsp;farinosa]]'' (eastern American floury amanita), ''[[Amanita frostiana|A.&nbsp;frostiana]]'', ''[[Amanita muscaria|A.&nbsp;muscaria]]'' (fly agaric), ''[[Amanita pantherina|A.&nbsp;pantherina]]'' (panther cap), and ''[[Amanita porphyria|A.&nbsp;porphyria]]'', but not ''[[Amanita ceciliae|A.&nbsp;ceciliae]]''.

===Deadly poisonous===
Deadly poisonous species include ''[[Amanita abrupta]]'', ''[[Amanita arocheae|A.&nbsp;arocheae]]'', ''[[Amanita bisporigera|A.&nbsp;bisporigera]]'' (eastern NA destroying angel), ''[[Amanita exitialis|A.&nbsp;exitialis]]'' (Guangzhou destroying angel), ''[[Amanita magnivelaris|A.&nbsp;magnivelaris]]'', ''[[Amanita ocreata|A.&nbsp;ocreata]]'' (western NA destroying angel), ''[[Amanita phalloides|A.&nbsp;phalloides]]'' (death cap), ''[[Amanita proxima|A.&nbsp;proxima]]'', ''[[Amanita smithiana|A.&nbsp;smithiana]]'', ''[[Amanita subjunquillea|A.&nbsp;subjunquillea]]'' (East Asian death cap), ''[[Amanita verna|A.&nbsp;verna]]'' (fool's mushroom), and ''[[Amanita virosa|A.&nbsp;virosa]]'' (European destroying angel).<ref>{{cite book| first=L.| last= Zeitlmayr| title=Wild Mushrooms: An Illustrated Handbook| year=1976| isbn=0-584-10324-7|page=77 |publisher=Garden City Press| location=Hertfordshire}}</ref>

==Psychoactive species==
[[File:2006-10-25 Amanita muscaria crop.jpg|upright|thumb|''[[Amanita muscaria]]'', commonly known as the fly agaric, contains the psychoactive compound [[ibotenic acid]].]]
{{Further|Legal status of psychoactive Amanita mushrooms}}

=== ''Amanita muscaria'' ===
{{Main|Amanita muscaria}}

''[[Amanita muscaria]]'' was widely used as an [[entheogen]] by many of the [[indigenous peoples of Siberia]]. Its use was known among almost all of the [[Uralic languages|Uralic]]-speaking peoples of western Siberia and the [[Paleosiberian]]-speaking peoples of the [[Russian Far East]]. There are only isolated reports of ''A.&nbsp;muscaria'' use among the [[Tungusic peoples|Tungusic]] and [[Turkic peoples]] of central Siberia and it is believed that on the whole entheogenic use of ''A.&nbsp;muscaria'' was not practiced by these peoples.<ref name="nyberg1">{{cite journal|author=Nyberg, H.|year=1992|title=Religious use of hallucinogenic fungi: A comparison between Siberian and Mesoamerican Cultures|journal=Karstenia |volume=32|issue=71–80|pages=71–80|doi=10.29203/ka.1992.294|doi-access=free}}</ref>

=== ''Amanita pantherina'' ===
{{Main|Amanita pantherina}}
[[File:Muscimol chemical structure.svg|upright|thumb|[[Muscimol]] (also known as pantherine) is an [[isoxazole]].  Pantherine is named after ''Amanita pantherina''.]]

''[[Amanita pantherina]]'' contains the psychoactive compound [[muscimol]],<ref name=Barceloux>{{cite book|last=Barceloux D. G.|title=Medical toxicology of natural substances: foods, fungi, medicinal herbs, plants, and venomous animals|year=2008|publisher=John Wiley and Sons Inc.|location=Canada|isbn=978-0-471-72761-3|pages=298|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CpqzhHc072AC&q=amanita+pantherina&pg=PA298|chapter-format=PDF|chapter=41 (Isoxazole-containing mushrooms and pantherina syndrome)}}</ref> but is used as an [[entheogen]] much less often than its much more distinguishable relative ''A. muscaria''.

=== Others ===
Other species identified as containing psychoactive substances include:

* ''[[Amanita citrina]]''<ref name=rumack>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WPWsZNvOqVAC |title=Handbook of Mushroom Poisoning: Diagnosis and Treatment |vauthors=Rumack BH, Spoerke DG |publisher=[[CRC Press]] |year=1994 |isbn=978-0849301940}}</ref>
* ''[[Amanita gemmata]]''<ref>{{cite web|title=Erowid Psychoactive Amanitas Vault : Amanita gemmata (Gemmed Amanita)|url=https://www.erowid.org/plants/amanitas/amanitas_gemmata.shtml|website=www.erowid.org}}</ref>{{verify source|date=February 2025}}
* ''[[Amanita porphyria]]''{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}
* ''[[Amanita regalis]]''<ref>{{cite web|title=Erowid Psychoactive Amanitas Vault : Amanita muscaria var. regalis (Fly Agaric variety)|url=http://www.erowid.org/plants/amanitas/amanitas_muscaria_regalis.shtml|website=www.erowid.org}}</ref>{{verify source|date=February 2025}}
* ''[[Amanita strobiliformis]]''<ref>{{cite web|title=Erowid Psychoactive Amanitas Vault : Info on Ibotenic Acid & Muscimol|url=http://www.erowid.org/plants/amanitas/amanitas_info_ott.shtml|website=www.erowid.org}}</ref>{{verify source|date=February 2025}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Fungi}}
*
* [[List of Amanita species|List of ''Amanita'' species]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book |last=Phillips |first=Roger |title=Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America |year=2010 |publisher=Firefly Books |location=Buffalo, NY |isbn=978-1-55407-651-2 |url-access=registration| url=https://archive.org/details/mushroomsotherfu0000phil }}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.amanitaceae.org/ Rodham E. Tulloss and Zhu-liang Yang's ''Amanita'' site] – Comprehensive listing of the nearly 600 named ''Amanita'' species with photos and/or technical details on over 510 species.
* [http://www.mushroomexpert.com/amanita.html "The genus ''Amanita''"] by Michael Kuo, ''MushroomExpert.Com'', March 2005.

{{Amanitas}}
{{Poisonous Amanitas}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q213938}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Amanita| ]]
[[Category:Agaricales genera]]
[[Category:Hepatotoxins]]
[[Category:Taxa described in 1794]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Christiaan Hendrik Persoon]]