What are Lepiota like and why are they toxic?

There are mushrooms that, despite their harmless appearance, it is better to avoid. The Lepiota are one of them. Although they have whitish and light brown colors, and an aspect that makes us think that we can eat them without problem, the reality is that if ingested, they are life threatening.

Therefore, when collecting mushrooms it is very important to know how to identify them, or at least go to someone who knows. What's more, if you really like going out to the field to fuck, we recommend you join an association or club of mycophiles. You will meet other people who share the same hobby, and in the process you will acquire more knowledge about mushrooms, something that will reduce the risk of taking a dangerous one, such as Lepiota.

Origin and general characteristics of the Lepiota

The Lepiota are found in Europe and America, in forests but also in gardens. They usually appear in autumn, like the Lepiota helveola, but there are some that also do it in summer like the Lepiota brunneoincarnata. They are usually small mushrooms, a maximum of about 5 centimeters in height, and with a hat of 7 centimeters in maximum diameter.. Some varieties emit a characteristic smell.

In the past, certain species of the genus macrolepiota and Chlorophyllum were classified in the Lepiota group. Two of the best known are the macrolepiota procera and Chlorophyllum rhacodes. But unlike our protagonists, these are large mushrooms, with a foot 20 centimeters high the first and 15 centimeters high the second. Also, both are edible.

Main species

The best known Lepiota are the following:

Lepiota brunneoincarnata

It is a mushroom that found on trail margins or in fields under broadleaf plants. It bears fruit in summer, and sometimes also in autumn. It is very poisonous: it can cause death in just six hours. Their characteristics are:

• Floor: it's white and that's it, except under the ring that has vinous tones. It measures between 2 and 5 centimeters tall.
• Sombrero: At first it has a semi-globose shape, but later it is extended. It has a diameter of 2 to 10 centimeters, and the cuticle is brown in color.
• Sheets: white when young, cream-colored when ripe.
• Carne: white and pink, except for the base, which is winey pink. Smells like fruit.

lepiota castanea

It is a common mushroom in Spain, found almost always in pine forests, or sometimes also in oak and cork oak forests. It receives the common names of chestnut or speckled chestnut lepiota. It is characterized by the following:

• Floor: white and smooth, but under the ring it has brown scales. It measures between 2 and 5 centimeters tall.
• Sombrero: it has a convex shape and is flat. The cuticle is dark brown when young, but later turns brown with reddish hints.
• Sheets: they are whitish or cream with brown spots.
• Carne: it is white and has a sour smell.

Lepiota clypeolaria

The shield lepiota, as it is called, is a mushroom that appears in coniferous and leafy tree forests. It bears fruit in summer and autumn, and we will know if we have one in front of us if we see that it has:

• Floor: it is white and measures 8 centimeters high by 0-4 centimeters thick.
• Sombrero: It is ovoid when young, but flattened when mature, and measures between 4 and 8 centimeters in diameter. The cuticle is light brown, almost whitish.
• Sheets: they are white and very close together.
• Carne: it is white and has a fruity smell.

Lepiota cristata

La Lepiota cristata, called the smelly lepiota, is a mushroom native to North America and Europe. Inhabits forests, bushes and fields. Its characteristics are as follows:

• Floor: it is white, with a pink base, and measures between 4 and 6 centimeters high by 0,8 centimeters thick.
• Sombrero: At the beginning it has a conical shape, but then it flattens out. It measures between 2 and 5 centimeters in diameter, and its cuticle is whitish with a brown center.
• Sheets: they are white or yellow and are little separated from each other.
• Carne: it is white and gives off an unpleasant odor.

Lepiota josserandii (is now Lepiota incarnated)

It is known by the name of the deadly lepiota. Its current scientific name is Lepiota incarnated. Inhabits gardens, meadows, meadows, coniferous and deciduous forests. Luckily, it is difficult for us to find her when we go to collect mushrooms. Still, you have to know its characteristics are:

• Floor: it is small, about 2,5 centimeters high, hollow and has a cylindrical shape.
• Sombrero: At the beginning it is hemispherical, but later it flattens. The cuticle is reddish-brown in color, being lighter at the edges.
• Sheets: they are white when the mushroom is young, and creamy-pink when it matures. They are separated from each other.
• Carne: it is white, more brownish-pink closer the closer to the foot, and more pink under the cuticle. It has an odor reminiscent of tangerine.

Why are Lepiota toxic?

These mushrooms contain amanitin, which is a very toxic substance. The first symptoms may take a few hours to appear, but depending on the dose and the person themselves, they take up to 24 hours. At first they can be confused with poor digestion: diarrhea, general malaise. But you can soon have colic.

The situation is complicated when they disappear, since they make us think that we have recovered when in reality we have not. On the fourth or fifth day, the liver and kidneys begin to fail. And at 10 days, if you don't get treatment soon, there is a very high risk of death from respiratory and / or liver failure.

So, every time you go out to collect mushrooms, be very careful with them.