Dive deep into the world of mushrooms, with all the basic and specific knowledge about mushrooms you as a person will need, told in a fun-to-read story.
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Yes, I did the "eatable" thing on purpose :)
There are many people out there who look at a mushroom and 'nope' out of there. They are under the false claim that all mushrooms are poisonous and bad to touch so look, not eat, nor touch. But as you read in the first chapter, science clearly explains the touching part.
So now it's time to make science cough up the answers about the poison.
According to inrae.fr, "Certain unrelated deadly fungi produce the same toxin, amanitin. Where this substance comes from, however, and how it is made, is unknown."
Also, according to pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (long name, I know), "It is recognized that amanitin inhibits RNA polymerase II, causing protein deficit and ultimately cell death, although other mechanisms are thought to be involved. The liver is the main target organ of toxicity, but other organs are also affected, especially the kidneys."
It seems, fellow mushroom-hunters, mushrooms aren't as fantastic as one would believe they are. I would like to keep my organs, thank you!
But there are plenty of safe mushrooms to eat during fall, and I'm going to give you an overview. Hold onto your kidneys, cause this is going to be a wild ride!
Edible Mushrooms in California
Chanterelle - Cantharellus californicus
Morel - Morchella elata (and relatives)
Oyster Mushroom - Pleurotus ostreatus
Blewit - Clitocybe nuda
Bear's Head - Hericium erinaceus (and relatives)
Candy Cap - Lactarius rubidus
Agaricus species
Fairy-ring Mushroom - Marasmius oreades
Shaggy Parasol - Chlorophyllum brunneum
Man on Horseback - Tricholoma flavovirens
Springtime Amanita - Amanita velosa
As you can see, not all mushrooms want to kill you! Here are a couple of non-eatable mushrooms.
Non-edible Mushrooms in California
Amanita phalloides, the Death Cap
Amanita ocreata, the Destroying Angel
Galerina Marginata, The Deadly Galerina
The weird part is, I can't find any more deadly mushrooms. It seems like the Death Cap is all the rage these days. But that's not to say there are only three poisonous mushrooms in California.
So does finding an unidentified mushroom in the woods mean your doom? Find out in the next chapter!
