Amanita Muscaria August 9, 2007
Posted by dorigo in personal, science.11 comments
This morning while following the trail to Malga Nemes, above Passo di Montecroce Comelico, we found a spot of the woods very densely populated with specimens of Amanita Muscaria, a venomous mushroom which has a very esthetic appearance. The intense red color of the cap, covered with white warts, is very distinctive.
Here is a trio which was particularly good looking:
Amanita Muscaria has hallucinatory properties, and while venomous, it is not really too dangerous (cases of death from ingestion are extremely rare). I really like when I find these mushrooms when I walk in the woods in search of more edible boletus edulis or cantharellus cibarius (we are about to eat a good risotto with those tonight), because it is said to mark the place where boleti are likely to grow.
Unfortunately, only a few hours after taking this picture, on our way back from Malga Nemes we found that most of the mushrooms had been destroyed! Probably people looking for edible mushrooms who had little consideration for the beauty of nature.
Wikipedia has a very interesting and well-written piece on this mushroom.
