The message
from Frogleg contains these words:
On Sat, 15 May 2004 03:29:56 +0100, Jaques d'Alltrades
wrote:
The message
from martin contains these words:

Isn't May a little early for wild mushrooms?

Depends on the variety. There are (about) 36 species of Agaricus in the
British Isles, 34 of which are safe to eat. If the base of the stipe
turns bright yellow *IMMEDIATELY* it is cut, avoid the mushroom, it
might make you ill.

You seem to know quite a bit about mushrooms, so I'm surprised you'd
offer a somewhat folkloric method of determining safe edibility. I was
taught that one should be able to reliably identify a wild-growing
mushroom in at least 2 detailed reference books, and/or the help of an
experienced expert. "Might make you ill" is a very mild description of
the symptoms of mushroom poisoning. :-)

If you read carefully, you'll see that I refer to the genus Agaricus.
Assuming that a mushroom gatherer can identify a mushroom as from that
genus, the test of cutting the base of the stipe (of a fresh specimen)
is indicative of safety or not. Only the two which are poisonous (to
about one person in ten) show the instant yellow colour change. It is
invariable, and if another species seems to colour quickly and is
discarded on that account, that will harm no-one.

The test is not folkloric, it is a recognised indicator of the two dodgy
Agarici. Agaricus xanthodermus and A. semotus (some distinguish A.
xanthodermus var. pilatianus as a separate species, but the test still
holds.) Poisoning by these is mild by the standards of some other
mushrooms such as Amanita phalloides, Entoloma sinuatum (aka E.
lividum), Paxillus involutus, etc.

Mushroom poisoning per se is varied, and ranges from hallucinations,
stomach upsets, through no symptoms before liver failure, and severe
symptoms of guts-ache, nausia, headaches, diarrhoea, convulsions, and an
agonizing death.

But Agaricus poisoning is only really dangerous to someone with a
general mushroom allergy, and as such, the species consumed is probably
quite irrelevant.

Please note: many older books refer to Paxillus involutus as edible. It
is deadly, but the poison is cumulative, and it took famine in Poland
during the war, when there was a glut of P. involutus and little else to
eat, to alert people to the danger.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
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