Deadly Mushrooms: Photo Gallery of Highly Toxic Fungi
By Palina Balcevič, MSc in Biological Sciences
This photo gallery offers a concise overview of hazardous species and their varying degrees of toxicity. It is a visual introduction, not a regional field guide or a tool for diagnosing mushroom poisoning.
Death caps and destroying angels
Among the most notorious fungi are species of the genus Amanita, an emblem of danger in the fungal kingdom. With their vivid appearance, highly toxic Amanita species pose a significant risk. Here are the most notable examples:
Death cap (Amanita phalloides) is responsible for the majority of fatal mushroom poisonings globally. Ingestion can cause delayed, life-threatening liver failure, sometimes requiring transplantation or resulting in death. Early identification and hospital treatment are critical, even if the person initially feels well. Amatoxins are not destroyed by cooking or other methods of food preparation (CDC report).
Destroying angel (Amanita virosa) is a slightly lesser-known but equally deadly mushroom. As with the death cap, do not place an unidentified specimen among mushrooms intended for consumption. The Amanita genus is diverse and includes both edible and poisonous species, but the amatoxin-containing species pictured here can cause severe liver damage, kidney injury, and death. Edible and deadly amanitas can also be difficult to distinguish by appearance alone (CDC).
Webcaps and delayed kidney injury
The Cortinarius genus includes some highly dangerous species. Some contain orellanine, a nephrotoxin that can cause delayed kidney injury, with symptoms sometimes appearing days after ingestion. Among them, deadly webcap (Cortinarius rubellus) and fool's webcap (Cortinarius orellanus) can cause kidney failure and can be fatal (medical review).
Other mushrooms capable of severe poisoning
Funeral bell (Galerina marginata) contains the same type of toxins as the death cap and, if ingested, can cause severe liver failure and death. Its appearance and habitat vary so much that it was previously believed to be five different species. Therefore, even if you have encountered it before, you may not recognize it or may confuse it with another species.
Some species in the genus Lepiota cause severe poisonings. The deadly dapperling (Lepiota brunneoincarnata) contains amatoxins; ingestion can cause acute liver failure and has resulted in fatal poisonings (case study).
Pholiotina rugosa contains the same toxins as mushrooms of the Amanita and Lepiota genera.
Brown rollrim (Paxillus involutus) causes severe food poisoning, and in some cases, hemolytic anemia.
The toxicity of false morel (Gyromitra esculenta) varies with toxin content, preparation, dose, and individual susceptibility. Ingestion can cause gastrointestinal illness, seizures, and liver or kidney injury; clinical outcomes vary, and fatal cases have been reported. It should not be treated as a safely edible mushroom (poison-center study; clinical review).
Earthy inocybe or white fibercap (Inocybe geophylla) varies in appearance, with both white and lilac forms. Regardless of its form, it causes severe poisonings, as do some other species in the genus Inocybe.
Consuming the sulphur tuft (Hypholoma fasciculare) rarely leads to death, but it can cause paralysis and visual disturbances in addition to gastrointestinal poisoning.
Eastern jack-o'-lantern mushroom (Omphalotus illudens) is dangerous because it closely resembles some edible mushrooms. Ingestion commonly causes vomiting, diarrhea, and weakness; severity varies, and full recovery is common (case series).
The precise mechanism by which angel wing (Pleurocybella porrigens) causes harm is unknown; however, consuming these mushrooms has been associated with cases of encephalopathy and death.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of species whose consumption can lead to death. The mechanisms of toxin action often remain unknown, and many mushroom species are not fully studied. Nevertheless, the documented deadly species above illustrate the range of mushrooms that must not be eaten. Related species may differ slightly in appearance while retaining some common traits. Photos alone cannot confirm that a wild mushroom is safe: never eat one unless its identity and edibility have been confirmed by a qualified local expert. Keep unidentified mushrooms away from children and pets.
If a wild mushroom may have been eaten
Do not wait for symptoms: contact a poison center or emergency medical service immediately and follow its instructions. In the United States, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222; elsewhere, contact your local poison center or emergency service. Symptoms can be delayed, so feeling well after ingestion does not make it safe (Poison Control).
Sources and further reading
- CDC: Amanita species mushroom poisonings and modern outcomes
- CDC: Death cap poisoning outbreak and clinical course
- Human and experimental toxicology of orellanine
- Clinical evidence on deadly dapperling poisoning
- Longitudinal assessment of gyromitrin-containing mushroom poisonings
- Poison Control: Wild mushroom warning