Amanita muscaria

Red fly agaric occurs in mixed, coniferous and deciduous forests, forming mycorrhizas (mushrooms - "mutually beneficial cohabitation") with birch and coniferous trees.

The mushroom's hat is at first globular, then flat-round and, finally, flat, from orange to bright red. On its surface there are white or pale yellow "warts" of round, usually irregular shape. Mature and old red fly agaric is distinguished by the presence of pronounced banding along the edge of the cap.

A dense mushroom foot can be yellowish or white in color, has the form of a cylindrical, tuberous thickening. On the thickening there are white flocculent "warts" located in several protruding rows in concentric circles.

Amanita muscaria contains a large number of toxic components (choline, muscarine, betaine, muscaridine, putrescine, bufotenin and other substances). Some of them are potent toxins. Bufotenin has a galucinogenic effect.

Known insecticidal properties (killing insects) fly agaric red possesses due to the content of zoetenenic acid.

Poisoning of these fungi is extremely rare. This is due to the fact that the fly agaric is confused with any mushroom is very difficult. However, poisoning does happen. As a rule, they are observed in young children who ate "beautiful" mushrooms in the absence of adults. The main symptoms of poisoning include abdominal pain, vomiting, lacrimation, dyspnea, narrowing of the pupils, increased sweating and salivation. In severe cases, convulsions, heart rhythm disturbances, and diarrhea may occur. The deaths in practice are practically not registered.

Amanita muscaria is red. Use

It should be noted that there are cases of ingestion of this fungus. For example, from dried fly agarics prepare tincture on vodka. It has a strong enough tonic effect. Similarly, with the addition of berries, blueberries were prepared for tincture by the inhabitants of Kamchatka. Nevertheless, recommendations for the use of the fungus are not practiced.

In connection with the hallucinogenic properties, the fly agaric was used by shamans. As a result of taking mushrooms for food, ministers of ancient cults could achieve religious ecstasy and acquire supernatural abilities.

In addition to shamans, fly creatures used heroic tales and bylina. In ancient times, the singer ate from nine to twenty mushrooms and began to sing the whole night of the legend.

Ritual eating of mushrooms among the Koryaks was an important element during the autumn holiday "holo" (fishing holiday).

The use of fly agarics provoked a state of delirium, twitching of limbs. At the same time, some people could dance, jump, have fun, others dreamed of hell, horror, others could begin to repent of their sins. In some cases, people mimicked the "actions" of the fly agarics themselves. For example, they put on a hat and seeped through narrow shutters or a chimney pipe. Deceleration replaced excitement, people fell into deep sleep. For a while, people who took mushrooms could feel a surge of energy. Flaccid intoxication increased libido in some cases. In most cases, the poisoning of these fungi is characterized by often changing moods, visual hallucinations (color vision, doubling of objects and others). The subsequent lethargic sleep is accompanied by loss of memory.

In folk medicine, there are several recipes with the use of fly agarics. Due to the increased toxicity of fungi, their use in official medicine is prohibited.

Many ungulates (wild roe deer, deer, moose) use fly agaric to get rid of helminths (worms).