Taxon Description (Wikipedia)
The genus
Amanita contains about 600 species of agarics including some of the most toxic known mushrooms found worldwide. This genus is responsible for approximately 95% of the fatalities resulting from mushroom poisoning, with the death cap accounting for about 50% on its own. The most potent toxin present in these mushrooms is α-amanitin.
The genus also contains many edible mushrooms, but mycologists generally discourage amateur mushroom hunters from selecting these for human consumption. Nonetheless, in some cultures, the larger local edible species of
Amanita are mainstays of the markets in the local growing season. Samples of this are
Amanita zambiana and other fleshy species in central Africa,
A. basii and similar species in Mexico,
A.... full article at Wikipedia
