Some species affect the central nervous system causing hallucinations and sometimes leading to coma.
Some of the Psiocybe species, on the other hand, cause visual hallucinations within 20 minutes of ingestion. Such mushrooms are sometimes deliberately ingested for recreational purposesalthough the legality of such actions varies between countries. Perhaps the best-known wild mushroom, having a large, scarlet cap with small white scales, and a membranous ring on the stem. Apart from the cell poisons, the most dangerous species are those which contain substances that affect the nervous system. Strictly speaking the hallucinogenic species also affect the nervous system, but the disturbances in this case are usually restricted to sensory distortion.