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The mushroom kingdom is amazing and diverse. Not all of its representatives are harmless to humans. Eating some mushrooms can cause severe poisoning or even death.But even such types can bring considerable benefits, since they have a pronounced medicinal effect. These mushrooms include the panther fly agaric, which combines both a mortal danger to humans and significant healing power.
Description of the panther fly agaric
Fly agarics are one of the most recognizable mushrooms; as a rule, even children can easily identify them. Representatives of this family have a number of distinctive external features that make them unmistakably recognizable among many others.
All of them are characteristic of the panther fly agaric. It belongs to the Amonitaceae family; in Latin its name sounds like Amanita pantherina. The main distinguishing features of this mushroom are given in the table:
Parameter | Meaning |
Names synonyms | Gray fly agaric, leopard fly agaric |
Type of mushroom | Lamellar |
Classification | Inedible, highly poisonous |
Form | Umbrella |
Smell | Weak, sweetish, unpleasant |
Pulp | White, sweetish in taste, does not change color when broken |
Below is a more detailed description of the main parts of the panther fly agaric.
Description of the cap
The cap of a young panther fly agaric has an almost spherical shape. As the mushroom grows, it becomes more and more flat, while the edge remains slightly curved inward. The cap of an adult specimen can reach 12 cm in diameter, and it has the shape of a regular circle.
The upper skin is thin, colored gray-brown or brownish-brown in color of varying intensity. On top of it there are numerous white flake-like growths that are easy to pinch off. The hymenophore (the reverse side of the cap) is lamellar and does not grow together with the stalk.The plates are white, smooth, fragile, and as the mushroom ages, dark spots may appear on them.
Description of the leg
The leg of the panther fly agaric is smooth, usually has the shape of a cylinder or a regular truncated cone, slightly tapering upward. In the lower part there is a characteristic hemispherical thickening - a tuber. The leg is hollow inside and can grow up to 12-15 cm, while its thickness reaches 1.5 cm. It is painted white.
Quite often the leg has a ring-shaped growth, although there are specimens without it. On the surface there are numerous white flaky growths-hairs, reminiscent of wood shavings.
Doubles and their differences
The panther fly agaric can be confused with other representatives of the same family. Its counterparts include the following mushrooms:
- Fly agaric gray-pink.
- Umbrella mushroom.
What is the difference between the panther fly agaric and the gray-pink one?
According to the classification, the gray-pink fly agaric is classified as conditionally edible, and it can be eaten after preliminary heat treatment. Its main difference from the panther variety is the change in color of the flesh due to mechanical damage. The gray-pink fly agaric slowly begins to turn pink when cut. Another difference is the shape of the ring. In the panther fly agaric it is weak, often located in the lower part of the leg. The grey-pink ring has a very pronounced ring, it hangs down and is located in the upper part of the leg.
Another difference is the shape of the leg. In the gray-pink fly agaric, it often has the shape of a reverse cone, tapering downward. At the same time, the volva in the lower part of the leg in this species is weakly expressed or absent completely.
How to distinguish a panther fly agaric from an “umbrella”
The umbrella mushroom is another counterpart of the panther fly agaric.This species is also edible; moreover, it is highly valued for its excellent taste and the ability to be eaten without prior heat treatment. The umbrella mushroom belongs to the Champignon family; in appearance it is similar to the panther fly agaric, but has a number of distinctive features:
- It can reach significant sizes; often the cap of the umbrella mushroom grows up to 25-30 cm in diameter, and the stem grows up to 40 cm, while its thickness can reach up to 4 cm.
- In the center of the umbrella mushroom cap, after opening, there is always a characteristic influx.
- The leg is covered with small brown scales.
- The ring is wide, filmy, torn.
- Volva is missing.
- The smell is mushroom, rather weak.
Umbrella mushrooms, in turn, have their own poisonous counterparts, such as lead-slag chlorophyllum and dark-brown chlorophyllum. They are much smaller in size, and they grow in North America, so mushroom pickers in Russia have little chance of encountering them. A distinctive feature of false umbrella mushrooms is the reddening of the flesh when mechanically damaged.
Where and how does it grow
The growing area of the panther fly agaric is very wide. It can be found in deciduous and mixed temperate forests of the European part of Russia, as well as in Siberia and the Far East. The mycelium forms mycorrhiza with many trees, both coniferous and deciduous, but most often with oak or pine. Massive growth of the fungus begins in July and continues until mid-September. The fungus is undemanding in terms of soil composition, but is more often found on calcareous, and sometimes even on very poor, highly alkalized soils.
As a rule, panther fly agaric grows in single specimens; groups are quite rare. An interesting video about it can be viewed at the link:
Edible panther fly agaric or poisonous
Panther fly agaric is a highly poisonous mushroom, so eating it is strictly prohibited. The pulp of the fruiting bodies contains strong toxins such as hyoscyamine and scopalamine, which cause general poisoning. In addition to these substances, it contains the alkaloids muscarine, muscimol, serotonin and bufotonin, which cause a change in consciousness by affecting the central nervous system. Therefore, the mushroom is not only highly poisonous, but also hallucinogenic.
Symptoms of poisoning, first aid
Poisoning by panther fly agaric occurs infrequently, primarily due to the good recognition of the mushroom. Fatalities after its consumption have not been documented, although some toxicologists consider this species to be even more poisonous than the pale grebe. The symptoms of panther fly agaric poisoning are similar to the picture of the usual toxic effects on the digestive organs, characteristic of all poisonous mushrooms, but are supplemented by symptoms of altered consciousness.
Here are the main signs of panther fly agaric poisoning:
- Cramps, cramps and pain in the stomach.
- Diarrhea and vomiting, sometimes with blood.
- Changing pupil size.
- Rapid heartbeat, arrhythmia.
- Uneven breathing.
- Spasms, muscle cramps.
- Increased body temperature, chills, fever.
- Euphoria, incoherent actions, unreasonable activity and aggression.
- Visual and auditory hallucinations, seizures, fainting.
Symptoms usually appear within the first 20-30 minutes after eating the mushroom and progress over the next 6-8 hours. If you suspect panther fly agaric poisoning, you must call a doctor or take the victim to the nearest medical center.
Before the ambulance arrives, you can reduce the toxic effects on the body by the following manipulations:
- Gastric lavage. If a little time has passed since eating, you need to get rid of the remaining fungus in the stomach. To do this, it is necessary to force the victim to drink a large amount of water, slightly colored with potassium permanganate, and then induce vomiting. It is better to do this several times to cleanse the stomach more thoroughly.
- Give the poisoned person an absorbent drug. This measure will significantly reduce the absorption of toxins into the blood. Activated carbon is suitable as an absorbent (at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of the victim’s weight), as well as the preparations Eneterosgel, Polysorb or similar.
- Reduce the victim's spasmodic pain and cramping in the stomach. This can be done by giving him 1 or 2 tablets of No-shpa (Drotaverine).
- Drink plenty of fluids. The victim should drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration caused by diarrhea. You can restore the salt balance with the help of the drug Regidron, but if it is not available, then you need to add a little ordinary table salt to the water. You can use carbonate mineral water for drinking.
What are the benefits of panther fly agaric?
Despite its extreme toxicity, the panther fly agaric is not without beneficial properties. Preparations from this mushroom have strong biological activity and are successfully used to treat the following pathologies:
- Joint diseases.
- Tumors of various natures.
- Vascular sclerosis.
- Herpes.
The powder of the dried fruiting body of this mushroom is a strong wound healing agent, therefore it is included in the corresponding ointments and creams.
It relieves muscle inflammation, including traumatic ones. Panther fly agaric tincture is used as a remedy for impotence, as well as a medicine that stops the growth of malignant tumors and inhibits cancer cells.
The use of panther fly agaric in folk medicine
Even before science studied the panther fly agaric, our ancestors successfully used it as a medicine. Here are some ways to use it in folk medicine:
- Dry crushed panther fly agaric powder mixed with oil can be used as a remedy for rheumatism.
- If you apply a dried mushroom cap to an open wound, it will heal very quickly.
- An ointment based on panther fly agaric can relieve pain and swelling at the site of a bruise.
- A tincture of the fruiting bodies of this mushroom is used as a remedy against warts.
Some interesting facts about panther fly agarics
There are many interesting stories associated with the panther fly agaric. According to ancient Germanic and Scandinavian legends, berserker warriors in past times took a tincture of these mushrooms to bring themselves into a state of increased aggression and lower the pain threshold.There is an opinion that the ancient Russian knights also used a similar mixture before the battle, but there is no documentary evidence of this.
Here are some more interesting facts about this representative of the Amonitov family:
- Fly agarics have long been used as repellents, that is, as a means to combat flying insects. This is where they got their name. Flies never land on these mushrooms; even the fumes from them are fatal to them.
- A tincture of panther fly agarics is used by shamans when performing various religious rituals to escape reality and immerse themselves in a state of altered consciousness.
- The psychoactivity of the panther fly agaric is approximately 4 times higher than that of its red counterpart.
- Due to the special clinical picture caused by eating this mushroom, the symptoms of panther fly agaric poisoning have received a separate name in medicine, known as “panther syndrome.”
- The fruiting body of the panther fly agaric contains tropane alkaloids - substances more typical of poisonous plants such as datura and henbane.
Conclusion
The panther fly agaric is a clear example of the fact that even the most poisonous mushrooms can bring significant benefits. However, this does not mean that it is harmless. Such mushrooms must be handled very carefully. Only in skillful and experienced hands can it be useful, therefore, before doing anything with the panther fly agaric, you should definitely consult with a knowledgeable person.
