Fly Agaric
A beautiful and photogenic mushroom that it is considered toxic but not deadly.
Scientific Name – Amanita muscaria
Please note that each and every mushroom you come across may vary in appearance to these photos.
Cap
8-14 cm. Hemispherical at first when it can sometimes be more orangey than red, then opening flat with a bright red cap covered in white to yellow scales which are the remains of the volvic sack. The scales can be washed off during rain to leave a smooth red cap.
Gills
Crowded and free of the stem. White to cream.
Stem
8-14 cm tall, 1-2 cm diameter. Appearing from a volva (a bulbous egg like structure) the stem is white with shaggy remains of the volva sticking to it, it also has a skirt higher up the stem.
Skirt
Superior. Large, pendulous white/off white skirt, usually with yellow edges.
Volva
Has a bulbous volva with shaggy rings of scales around it rather than being marginate or having a sac like structure.
Flesh
White.
Habitat
Birch woods in particular but can be found in other mixed woodland.
Possible Confusion
The Blusher (Amanita rubescens), pictured, – where damaged shows pink red blushing, has a striated ring and no striations on the margin of cap. While toxic raw it’s edible when cooked.
The Grey Spotted Amanita (Amanita excelsa) – close relative of the Blusher, and fairly similar to it, without blushing and usually greyer colours. Although often not considered toxic it is not recommended.
The Panthercap (Amanita pantherina) – very closely related to the Fly Agaric with a darker brown cap. It contains exactly the same toxins as the Fly Agaric, but in more variable and usually higher concentrations.
The Jewelled Amanita (Amanita gemmata) – also closely related to the Fly Agaric and Panthercap, it could pass as a yellowish Fly Agaric (yellow forms of Fly Agaric exist). It might contain the same toxins as the other two but we couldn’t find enough reliable information. Like the Panthercap some books report it as very poisonous, it is wiser to avoid it.
