Amanita muscaria (fly agaric) | Plants & Fungi At Kew Discover plants and fungi Amanita muscaria (fly agaric) One of the most iconic and distinctive of British fungi, fly agaric, with its red cap and white spots, is renowned for its toxicity and hallucinogenic properties. Amanita muscaria (Photo: Geoffrey Kibby) Species information Not considered to be of conservation concern. Widespread, and frequent to common throughout its range. Habitat: In woodland, or beside isolated trees. Ectomycorrhizal (forming a relationship with tree roots) especially with species of Betula (birch) and Pinus (pine), and occasionally with other tree species. Key Uses: Religious and recreational uses related to its hallucinogenic properties. Insect pest control. Medicinal uses. Forms a food source for some fly larvae. Known hazards: Contains small amounts of the toxin muscarine, which causes sweat-inducing poisoning. Also contains the alkaloids muscimol, ibotenic acid and muscazone, causing psychotropic poisoning, which may be severe in some cases, although deaths are very rare.

Taxonomy Genus: Amanita About this species Fly agaric was first described by Carl Linnaeus (Swedish botanist and the father of modern taxonomy) in 1753, as Agaricus muscarius, the epithet deriving from the Latin ‘musca’, or ‘fly’, apparently referring to its use in parts of Europe as an insecticide, crushed in milk for attracting and killing flies. It is amongst the most iconic of the toadstools, commonly depicted in children’s books and on Christmas cards around the world. It is highly distinctive and, at least when fresh and in good condition, can hardly be confused with any other species. Its hallucinogenic properties have been well-known for centuries and the species has a long history of use in religious and shamanistic rituals, especially in Siberia. It is a common and widespread fungus, native to much of the north-temperate world, and an important ectomycorrhizal associate of various broadleaved and coniferous trees. Its fruitbodies are also utilised by a wide variety of flies (Diptera) and by some beetles (Coleoptera) as breeding sites.

Synonym: Agaricus imperialis, Agaricus nobilis, Amanitaria muscaria Genus: Discover more Geography and distribution Widespread in north-temperate regions, throughout Europe, Iceland, northern Asia - including Siberia and Korea - North Africa, and western North America. Inadvertently introduced with forestry into South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. In some places where introduced it is considered a pest species in native forests where it forms mycorrhizas with native trees, including species of Nothofagus, and adversely affects native fungi. Description Cap: The cap is at first hemispherical, covered by a universal veil which is whitish and somewhat warty, and expands gradually to measure 7-15 cm across. The mature cap is convex to flat, red or scarlet, more rarely orange to orange-red or fading to orange-yellow with age or in wet weather. It is striate (grooved) at the margin, and bears white, fluffy, scale-like patches of the universal veil, which may be lost with age or wash off in wet weather. Gills: The gills are free, white or whitish and closely spaced.

Stipe: The stipe (stalk) is 10-18 x 1-2 cm, white, cylindrical, usually slightly felty-scaly, with a well-developed, white or yellow-edged ring or annulus, and a bulbous base bearing scale-like remains of the volva. Spores: The spore deposit is white. The spores are broadly ellipsoid to subglobose, smooth, not amyloid (not darkening in iodine), and 8-12 x 6-9 µm in size. Two named varieties occur in Britain: Amanita muscaria var. aureola which has an orange-yellow cap, and A. muscaria var. formosa, which is a rather rare brown or yellow-brown form with a slightly tinted veil. Mycorrhizas and host trees Like most Amanita species, as well as a wide range of other fungi, A. muscaria is ectomycorrhizal, forming an intimate, mutually beneficial relationship with the roots of its host trees.

In its native range in the temperate northern hemisphere, its hosts include birches and various conifers, including species of Abies, Cedrus, Picea and Pinus. It has long been established outside its native range in parts of the southern hemisphere, especially in south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania, and in New Zealand. Here, it has spread from the cultivated pine plantations (Pinus radiata), with which it was apparently originally introduced, to form associations with various other introduced trees, including broad-leaves, conifers and Euclayptus. In New Zealand it has become established with Nothofagus and possibly other trees native to the area, and may aggressively compete with, and oust, native ectomycorrhizal fungi. It is regarded as a pest species in New Zealand. Uses An older Amanita muscaria showing the veil mostly lost, and colours fading (Photo: Paul Cannon) Fly agaric is well known to contain psychoactive alkaloids, and has a long history of use in Asia and parts of northern Europe for religious and recreational purposes.

It has also been identified with ‘Soma’, a sacred and hallucinogenic ritual drink used for religious purposes in India and Iran from as early as 2000 B.C., and the subject of a Hindu religious hymn, the Rig Veda. The identity of Soma is controversial but is thought by the American author Robert Wasson to be made from A. muscaria. Since medieval times, fly agaric has also reportedly been used to attract and kill flies, and the ibotenic acid it contains is indeed a weak insecticide. According to the British mycologist John Ramsbottom, it was also used in England and Sweden for getting rid of insects. Other anecdotal uses of fly agaric include its use as a treatment for sore throats, and arthritis, and as an analgesic. Fruitbodies also provide an important food source for invertebrates, especially for the larval stages of a range of Diptera (flies), particularly in the families Anthomyiidae, Cecidomyiidae, Heleomyzidae, Mycetophilidae, and some Syrphidae.

Toxicity of fly agaric Fly agaric is psychoactive and hallucinogenic, containing the alkaloids muscimol, ibotenic acid and muscazone, which react with neurotransmitter receptors in the central nervous system. These cause psychotropic poisoning which may be severe in some cases although deaths are very rare. It also contains small amounts of muscarine, the first toxin to be isolated from a mushroom, and first isolated from this species. This causes sweat-inducing poisoning, stimulating the secretory glands and inducing symptoms which include profuse salivation and sweating. These symptoms can be treated by using atropine but this should not be used in cases of Amanita muscaria poisoning because it increases the activity of muscimol. It should be cautioned that faded specimens of A. muscaria, with orange caps, have sometimes been misidentified as Amanita caesarea (Caesar’s mushroom) which is a sought-after edible species found in southern Europe and North Africa. It does not occur in Britain, and is easily distinguished from A. muscaria by its yellow gills and large white volva.

Fly agaric at Kew A young fly agaric, with an unexpanded cap and thick veil (Photo: Paul Cannon) Amanita muscaria is frequent in the Gardens wherever suitable habitat includes its favoured tree partners. Fruiting occurs during autumn, mainly from September to November. The fruitbodies, with their characteristic red, white-spotted caps and white, ringed stem, are quite distinctive and unlikely to be confused with other species. Dried collections of A. muscaria from throughout its range are maintained in Kew's Fungarium. These specimens are made available for study by mycologists from around the world, by appointment. Other British species Amanita is a large genus, almost worldwide in distribution, and includes the ‘grisettes’, which lack a ring on the stem and were once placed in the genus Amanitopsis. At least thirty species occur in Britain, most of them being ectomycorrhizal (forming a relationship with tree roots) and important forest fungi. They include well-known and common species such as the blusher (A. rubescens) and the tawny grisette (A. fulva) as well as the infamous death cap (A.

phalloides), which is amongst the most poisonous of all fungi. Some species are scarce and little-known, and five are on the preliminary Red Data List (2006), including A. friabilis and A. vittadinii which are regarded as ‘Endangered’ and ‘Critically Endangered’ respectively. Although some Amanita species are regarded as edible, it is wise to avoid the genus from a culinary viewpoint as the various species contain a range of different toxic metabolites. For example, blusher contains haemolytic compounds which may cause break-up of red blood cells, although these compounds are readily denatured by heat so that well-cooked fruitbodies are edible. The toxic alkaloids found in A. muscaria also occur in A. pantherina (panther cap), whereas death cap and its relatives (A. virosa in Britain) contain cyclopeptides, amatoxins and phallotoxins, compounds which are not destroyed by heat and cause severe liver damage leading to death if not treated early. References and credits Chilton, W.S. & Ott, J. (1976). Toxic metabolites of Amanita pantherina, A.

cothurnata, A. muscaria and other Amanita species. Lloydia 39: 150 – 157. Evans, S. (2006). The Red Data List of Threatened British Fungi. Preliminary Assessment. Available online . Johnston, P.R., Buchanan, P.K., Leathwick, J. & Mortimer, S. (1998). Fungal invaders. Australasian Mycological Newsletter 17: 48-52. Ramsbottom, J. (1953). Mushrooms and Toadstools. New Naturalist Series. Collins. Wasson, R.G. (1968). Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, New York. Kew science editor: Brian Spooner Copyediting: Emma Tredwell While every effort has been taken to ensure that the information contained in these pages is reliable and complete, the notes on hazards, edibility and such-like included here are recorded information and do not constitute recommendations. No responsibility will be taken for readers’ own actions.

Poisonous Plants - Fly Agaric - The Poison Plant Patch View Larger Image Fly agaric (,Amanita muscaria) is larger and more colourful than the other ï¿½ï¿½shrooms.ï¿½ It is very common in Nova Scotian forests, especially beneath evergreens. Like other Amanita species, some of which are deadly, fly agaric begins with a button stage, when it is covered by a universal membrane, or veil. At this early stage, fly agaric is virtually indistinguishable from other, deadly Amanita fungi. There is a serious risk of confusing the species, with fatal results. As the mushroom matures, it erupts through the universal veil revealing a colourful cap ranging from yellow, to rose, to deep red. The remains of the top part of the veil produce conspicuous white wart-like patches on the cap and the remnants of the veil at the base of the stem is called the volva or death cup. As the cap expands, exposing the spore-producing gills, a ring (annulus), which is the remains of the torn protective tissue covering the immature gills, is left attached to the stem in this and most other species of Amanita mushrooms.

Squirrels and other rodents often feed on fly agaric, but this does not mean the fungus is edible by humans. While ingestion of a single mushroom may cause no lasting effects, consumption of 10 or more can be fatal, if medical assistance is not immediate. POISON LOCATION All parts of the mushroom contain the toxins. Poison concentration varies within a mushroom and between mushrooms collected at different locations. Cooking or processing toxic mushrooms will not destroy the toxins in most cases. As in Aliceï¿½s experiences in Wonderland, the effect of even a small taste can be devastating. POISON TYPE "Muscarine, an alkaloid, together with two other, less-poisonous hallucinogens, muscimol and ibotenic acid can accumulate in the fly agaric. Other mushrooms (Clitocybe and Inocybe spp.), which can resemble Amanitaï¿½s superficially, normally contain more muscarine toxin but Amanita muscaria is better known for the intoxicating effects of ibotenic acid/muscimol. Muscimol is formed in the mushroom when it is dried and is 5-10 times more potent than ibotenic acid.

TYPICAL POISONING SCENARIO Accidental ingestion: Some people mistake these fungi, especially in their early, ï¿½buttonï¿½ stage, for edible varieties, with unexpected and often disquieting results (e.g. hallucinations). An even greater risk is that those who seek these fungi deliberately, for their intoxicating effects, will mistake a deadly speciesï¿½especially other members of the Amanita familyï¿½for a ï¿½magicï¿½ mushroom. It is essential to take no chances with wild mushrooms. Fly agaric has been used to invoke inebriation, religious or otherwise, since the Stone Age. Some scholars maintain that the inspirations for some of the major religions of the Near East originate in a fly agaric cult, although in latter days, this fungus has typically been consumed as an escape from everyday drudgery. SYMPTOMS Fly agaric: Deep sleep 20 minutes after ingestion, during which hallucinations or feelings of euphoria are sometimes experienced. More serious symptoms include severe digestive upset, dizziness, psychological distress, and convulsions.

Consumption of 10 or more mushrooms can be fatal without medical attention; consumption of a single mushroom may have no lasting effects whatever. Clitocybe/Inocybe - muscarine poisoning induces a reaction referred to as PSL syndrome (perspiration, salivation, lacrymation) because the toxin affects all exocrine glands causing the onset of profuse sweating, salivation and tear formation 30 minutes to 2 hours after consumption. Pupil dilation, muscle spasms, slowing of heart rate and a drop in blood pressure can also be seen in poisoning victims. Medical attention is prudent as in any case where low heart rate and blood pressure symptoms are experienced. FLY AGARIC POISON INFORMATION Alkaloids Alkaloids are nitrogen-bearing alkaline chemicals that originate in plants. They are derived from amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, which especially affect the nervous system. At least 40% of all plant families include plants that contain these compounds. Many plants have different alkaloids present, each with a specific activity. Some alkaloids are useful medicines; others are harmful, even fatal. Most are bitter tasting.

The liver, with the assistance of enzymes, processes the alkaloids that enter the body, rendering some harmless there, while making others more toxic. One common alkaloid, which many of us seek daily, is caffeine. POISON PLANT LOOKUP Amanita muscaria, Fly Agaric mushroom Amanita muscaria ( L. ) Pers. - Fly Agaric Phylum: Basidiomycota - Class: Agaricomycetes - Order: Agaricales - Family: Amanitaceae The Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria, is a hallucinogen and must be considered poisonous. These attractive fungi often appear in groups and are a common sight in all kinds of woodlands. Distribution Usually recurring in the same place for several years, Amanita muscaria is found frequently throughout the northern hemisphere, including Britain and Ireland, mainland Europe, Asia, the USA and Canada. For a detailed description of the Amanita genus and identification of common species see our Simple Amanita Key... When they first emerge from the leaf litter of the forest floor, the young fruitbodies are covered entirely in pointed white warts, as seen here.

As the caps expand the red pellicle shows through until eventually the cap comprises mainly red skin with white warts distributed more or less evenly across its surface. Heavy rain or even contact with animals is sometimes sufficient to remove some or all of the white flakes from the cap of a Fly Agaric, so you may see some 'bald' specimens. Amanita muscaria is an introduced species in New Zealand, Tasmania and Australia, where there are concerns that the Fly Agaric may be spreading at the expense of native fungal species. In the USA Amanita muscaria is found with the red coloration that occurs in Europe as well as an orange-yellow form, Amanita muscaria var. formosa ( Pers. ) Bertill., with a yellow-tinged stem and ring. (This form is seen very rarely in Britain). Etymology The common name Fly Agaric is a reference to the tradition of using this mushroom as an insecticide. In some European countries caps of Amanita muscaria are crumbled up and placed in saucers of milk to attract house flies.

The flies drink the milk, which contains toxins - they are soluble in water and hence in milk also - dissolved from within the mushroom, and the flies soon become drowsy, collapse and die (or they simply drown in their spiked milk drink). The specific epithet muscaria comes from the Latin word musca, meaning 'a fly'. When Fascinated by Fungi, my new book about the kingdom of fungi and its many facets, was nearing completion I had no difficulty at all in choosing the front cover picture: it just had to be a beautiful group of Fly Agarics. The same species has appeared on other book covers in the past, I know, but that didn't deter me: my book is different and the group of Fly Agarics is very special too. Whenever I come across a perfect specimen of Amanita muscaria, the Fly Agaric, my heart leaps and I experience yet again the intense feeling of amazement that came over me so many years ago when for the first time I saw this fabulous fungus in a forest.

Incidentally, I found the photogenic group of Fly Agarics (left) whose picture adorns the cover Fascinated by Fungi when wandering through the Caledonian Forest, in Scotland, where these fungi are very common and often form large groups. Taxonomic history In Volume II of his Species Plantarum published in 1753, Carl Linnaeus named and formally described the Fly Agaric, at that time calling it Agaricus muscarius. (Most of the gilled mushrooms were included initially in the genus Agaricus!) Amanita muscaria is the type species of the Amanita genus. Christiaan Hendrik Persoon transferred the Fly Agaric to the genus Amanita in 1783. Several varieties of Amanita muscaria have been described. Amanita muscaria var. alba is a rare white form of the Fly Agaric, while Amanita muscaria var. regalis is a brown (rather than red) form of that many authorities now treat as a separate species Amanita regalis .

Amanita muscaria var, formosa is familiar to people on North America; it has a yellow or orange-yellow cap with yellowish warts, and a yellowish stem. No mushroom has gathered unto it more folklore and mythology than this white-spotted fairytale fungus. Many people who have never seen a Fly Agaric are under the illusion that it is a fictitious produce of a fertile or confused mind, and that it is simply pictured to intrigue children. If you believe in fairies, it's not too big a leap to give credence to the existence of a red-and-white mushroom so exquisitely patterned; otherwise you may be excused from harbouring doubts about the existence of the Fly Agaric, at least until you have seen one while stone cold sober! Psychoactive alkaloid content of Amanita muscaria The Fly Agaric can contain the psychoactive chemical compounds ibotenic acid and muscimol as well as muscazone and muscarine (but they may not always be in significant concentrations).

These are not the same as the psychoactive chemicals associated with the Liberty Cap, Psilocybe semilanceata , which is the most common (in Britain) of the so-called Magic Mushrooms; that little grassland mushroom gets (gives!) its kicks from quite different psychoactive compounds: psilocybin and baeocystin. Nevertheless, some people do still insist on referring to the Fly Agaric as a magic mushroom. The psychoactive compounds contained in Fly Agarics are also toxins, and that means that this is a poisonous mushroom, at least to some degree. Eating dried Fly Agarics can cause a range of symptoms ranging from drowsiness, nausea and sweating to distorted sight and sounds, euphoria and dizziness. These effects are very variable not only from person to person but also with the quantity consumed and the (equally variable) strength of the toxins in individual specimens of the Fly Agaric. It is quite possible, although documentary evidence is not conclusive, that deaths may have been caused by using Amanita muscaria as a 'recreational drug'.

What is beyond dispute is the fact that the Fly Agaric has been known to cause severe and violent stomach upsets if it is eaten raw. Mythology It may well be that Lewis Carrol (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) had experienced the hallucinatory effects of Amanita muscaria. In Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Alice eats part of one side of a mushroom and grows shorter; a piece from the other side would make her taller. A sleepy caterpillar sitting on the mushroom spoke to Alice: 'Who are you?' said the Caterpillar. This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, 'I — I hardly know, sir, just at present — at least I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.' 'What do you mean by that?' said the Caterpillar sternly. 'Explain yourself!' 'I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, sir' said Alice, 'because I'm not myself, you see.' I don't see,' said the Caterpillar.

'I'm afraid I can't put it more clearly,' Alice replied very politely, 'for I can't understand it myself to begin with; and being so many different sizes in a day is very confusing.' Gordon Wasson, in his 1968 book Soma, the Divine Mushroom of Immortality, put forward the argument, with evidence, that the sacred drink known some 4000 years ago as Soma and used in religious ceremonies by the Vedic Aryans - people thought to have originated in central Asia, including Indian Hindus who eventually settled in what is now Afghanistan - was actually made not from a plant (as had long been accepted) but using the juices pressed from Fly Agaric mushrooms. Despite many experiments, Wasson was unable to reproduce the ecstatic effects that were attributed to the sacred 'plant' from which Soma was made. (No records of the botanical identity of the plant Soma remain, and non-hallucinogenic substitutes have been used in religious ceremonies for a far back as records exist.) Father Christmas, or Santa Claus, has a red-and-white coat that may also be a reference to the Fly Agaric.

Reindeers are known to eat Amanita muscaria mushrooms - and indeed, how else is a reindeer going to be able to fly? There are reports of Siberian people, seeing the drunken behaviour of a reindeer that had eaten Fly Agarics, slaughtering the beast in order to get the same mind-bending effects from eating its meat. It's surely worth pointing out again that, although deaths from Amanita muscaria poisoning are probably rare occurrences, this hallucinogenic fungus contains toxins not all of which are destroyed by cooking. The two main toxic alkaloids contained in Fly Agarics are muscimol and ibotenic acid. These chemicals are mainly concentrated in the caps of the mushrooms; concentration varies greatly with age and from specimen to specimen. The lovely group of Amanita muscaria var. formosa shown above were photographed by Nigel P Kent, to whom we are grateful for permission to show this picture.

Identification guide Cap The cap of Amanita muscaria ranges from 10 to 20cm diameter at maturity; red or occasionally orange (and very rarely a white form is seen: it does not have red spots, although some picture-book Fly Agarics are depicted in this way!). Caps usually flatten or even become slightly concave when fully developed, but occasionally the Fly Agaric remains broadly convex. Caps of the Fly Agaric usually retain irregular, white fragments of the universal veil, but in wet weather they can wash off even while the caps are young and domed - as see on the left. In all but the driest of weather, Amanita muscaria caps flatten at maturity. When damaged, the flesh just below the pellicle (the skin of the cap) of a Fly Agaric is initially white but soon turns yellow on exposure to air. Gills August to November in Britain and Ireland. Similar species Amanita caesarea (Caesar's Mushroom) is rarely if ever found in northern Europe; its cap is brilliant orange with a striated margin, and the stipe is yellow.

The caps of some samples of Amanita rubescens are deep orange, but their stems and their cap flesh always turn red when damaged. Russula nobilis (Beechwood Sickener) has a bright red cap but no ring and no volva; it is very brittle. Reference Sources Fascinated by Fungi , Pat O'Reilly, 2016. Funga Nordica: 2nd edition 2012. Edited by Knudsen, H. & Vesterholt, J. ISBN 9788798396130 BMS List of English Names for Fungi Geoffrey Kibby, (2012) Genus Amanita in Great Britain, self-published monograph. Paul M. Kirk, Paul F. Cannon, David W. Minter and J. A. Stalpers (2008). Dictionary of the Fungi; CABI Taxonomic history and synonym information on these pages is drawn from many sources but in particular from the British Mycological Society's GB Checklist of Fungi and (for basidiomycetes) on Kew's Checklist of the British & Irish Basidiomycota.

Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) - History and Uses - Sacred Earth Ethnobotany Resources Yahoo MyWeb Bold and undeniably conspicuous, the bright red cap with its white flaky speckles characterizes this infamous mushroom known as ‘Fly Agaric’. A familiar image in popular culture, it is known as the ‘Glückspilz’ (lucky mushroom) in Germany and represents one of the five quintessential symbols of good fortune, (along with pigs, 4-leaved clover, chimney sweeps, and horseshoes). Innumerable decorative replica trinkets, variously cast in chocolate, marzipan or plastic proliferate in the window displays, especially around New Year. Even the most conventional of suburban lawns proudly display the gaudy fungus as plaster cast dwellings of jolly old plaster cast gnomes, smoking their plaster cast pipes. Every child has made its acquaintance via countless illustrations in seemingly innocent fairy tale books. Fly Agaric continues to serve as a classic symbol of enchanted forests and magical groves - the kind of places where fairies, gnomes and witches dwell. These ‘kitsch’ clichés are remnants of a once potent magical sacrament.

Mythologies from around the world echo with the distant memory of Fly Agaric as a semi-divine being associated with mighty thunder gods and cosmic fire. In India for example, the mushroom was sacred to Agni, the god of fire. His devotees made sacrificial offerings of Fly Agaric, while partaking of the sacrament to commune with their god. In Mayan dialects Fly Agaric is known as ‘Kukulja’, which also means thunder, while the Lakandon Indians call it ‘Eh kib lu'um’, meaning ‘Light of the Earth‘ (Rätsch). In parts of northern and eastern Europe it is sometimes called ‘Raven Bread’ in allusion to Wodan's companions. The wise ravens travel on his shoulders and whisper secrets in his ears of things that are yet to come. Wodan /Thor too, is a thunder-god, a wild, shamanic god of nature who commands the elements. He gallops across the sky on his brave and loyal mount Sleipnir, the eight-legged stallion, who runs swift as the wind, and kicks up storm clouds in his trail.

As the wild chase gathers speed the horse starts foaming from his mouth and where the foam drops onto the rain softened earth beneath, the Fly Agarics magically rise from the groundï¿½ Familiar and conspicuous, yet mysterious and magical. The Fly Agaric represents THE archetypal mushroom per se - even to those who don't know it by name. Most people, conditioned by western culture, are possessed by an instinctual fear that frequently encompasses all mushrooms (a condition known as ’mycophobia‘), except perhaps those found on supermarket shelves. Some people may have been introduced to this species by means of one of the commonly available mushroom guides that mark it as 'highly poisonous and tag its picture with the deadly scull and bone symbol. Yet, despite this reputation, evidence from around the globe suggests that humans in the past (and, in certain places to the present day) have actually enjoyed a very intimate relationship with this 'very dangerous' mushroom. Apparently, this is no ordinary, poisonous toadstool, but rather a powerful psychotropic entheogen with a very rich and colorful history and folkloreï¿½.

Amanita muscaria, better known as Fly Agaric, is a relatively small toadstool, growing to between 5 -12cm tall. It falls into the general category of ‘gill-baring’ mushrooms. When young it is covered by a white membranous veil, which tends to rip as the stem pushes up and the bright red cap expands. The remains of the veil skirt the stem and also leave white, wart-like flakes covering the cap, though these are sometimes washed away by heavy rain. As it matures the cap opens up like an umbrella, forming a depression around the center. Its red skin can easily be peeled off. The stem is bulbous at the base and discontinuous with the cap. The mushroom flesh is white and has no particular smell when fresh. Upon drying it develops an unpleasant musky-acrid smell, which erroneously has been claimed to ward off flies. In North America a closely related species, A. americana is often mistaken for the Fly Agaric. Its' cap tends to be more yellowy-orange. Less similar and more toxic in nature is A. pantherina, whose cap tends to be more yellow-brownish and its stem more slender.

All these species are generally regarded as poisonous and even deadly. Curiously though, while they undoubtedly are poisonous and can be deadly if ingested, very few fatal incidents of Fly Agaric ingestion have ever been recorded. The popular angst seems to be rather disproportionate to its actual toxic potential. So what is it about this mushroom that we fear so much? To answer this question we have to examine its chemistry and effects. Modern research has revealed that the chemical make-up of Amanita muscaria is actually quite complex. Early chemists had mistakenly assumed that the psychoactive principal of Fly Agaric was to be found in a tropane alkaloid known as muscarine. This substance, related to a group of alkaloids present in other 'Witches Herbs' such as Henbane and Belladonna, causes very unpleasant effects on the CNS, including profuse salivation, lachrymation, and perspiration. However, its concentration in the mushroom is actually very low (approx. 0.0003%). Furthermore, it does not cross the blood/brain barrier easily, and nor does it have any psychotropic action - thus it is hardly a likely candidate for the principle involved in producing the mushroom's reputed mind-altering effects.

It wasn't until the mid-sixties that the true entheogenic compounds of Amanita muscaria were positively identified as ibotenic acid and muscimol, its decarboxylised derivative. Research concluded that the actual psychotropic effect is most likely produced by muscimol (Chilton, 1975) since 50-100 mg of ibotenic acid produces the same effects as 10-15 mg of muscimol. The symptoms of inebriation are characterized by muscle twitching, dizziness, visual distortions (macropsia and micropsia) and altered auditory perception. (Chilton, 1975). The potency of individual mushrooms tends to vary widely, their power being modified by environmental factors, such as seasonal variation, the weather, the phase of the moon and the pH level of the soil. The Kamchacals, a peoples from northern Siberia, who have a long history of Fly Agaric use, maintain that those that dessicate while still in the earth and remain attached to the stalk tend to have a greater psychotropic effect than those that are picked fresh and strung up to dry.

They also claim that the smaller ones, whose bright red caps are still covered with many white spots, are said to be stronger than the larger ones with paler caps and fewer spots. Those picked in August are said to be the strongest. It has been suggested that a dose of 9 - 10 caps could be considered potentially lethal, though no specific data supports this claim. Apart from environmental factors that affect the mushrooms relative potency, obviously the physical and mental condition of those who consume them also plays an important role. Case studies have shown that people who mistakenly ingested the mushroom, believing that it was highly dangerous and that their lives were thus in peril, reported much more severe symptoms of poisoning than those who had intentionally partaken of it, but misjudged the dose (Ott 1976a). Archaeological and linguistic evidence traces Fly-Agaric use back at least some 3000-6000 years ago. Some scholars believe that it may stretch even further into pre-history and that it may in fact be the most archaic entheogen known to mankind.. It appears that Fly-Agaric was known, but not universally used throughout Siberia.

Some tribes apparently never used it, some only consumed it ritually, while others used it medicinally, ritually, or even simply for pure entertainment purposes. The custom is best documented for northeastern Siberia, where in some communities it persists to this day. Mircea Eliade, the world foremost authority on Shamanism, described Fly Agaric ceremonies among various Siberian tribes, but considers such practices (and for that matter any ceremonial drug use) as a decadent trend. (Eliade 'Shamanism' 1951) Many modern scholars disagree with his point of view, which sharply contrasts with the actual historical evidence and seems to more closely reflect his personal ethics and the moral norm of his era. (Rutledge). However, casual use does seem to be a more modern development. Where this is practiced, Fly Agaric's status as a ritual substance is gradually declining and is increasingly replaced by a relatively recent introduction: Vodka. Nevertheless, to Siberian shamans Fly Agaric represents the focal point of their mysteries and the means to the experience of divine ecstasy, a trance-like state that enables them to fly into the world of their gods, battle with demons and obtain fantastic visions - just as it always has.

It is this magical flight that is alluded to by the common name 'Fly Agaric', not, as has often been suggested, its alleged power to ward off flies, for which it is quite useless. The German ethnologist Enderli spent 2 years among the Chukchee and Koryaks of Eastern Siberia towards the latter part of the 19th century. During his stay he had an opportunity to witness first-hand one of these much fabled, mushroom induced trance sessions. According to his report the task of preparing the dried mushrooms fell to the women, who usually did not consume them themselves. After selecting a few suitable specimen they began to chew them thoroughly so as to make them pliable and moist. They then took them out of their mouths, rolled them into sausage shapes, and gave them to the two men who proceeded to place them deep down their throats and swallow them whole. After the fourth mushroom had been ingested in this manner the first effects began to show. The men started to tremble and twitch as though they had lost control of their muscles. Their eyes took on a wild glow, quite unlike the glazed look of alcohol inebriation, though the men apparently remained fully conscious throughout this phase.

The agitation increased until they suddenly fell into a trance-state and began to sing monotonously in low voices. Gradually their chanting became louder and wilder till they had worked themselves into a frenzy, their eyes glaring wildly, shouting incomprehensible words and both of them going quite literally 'berserk'. They demanded their (ritual) drums, which the women brought immediately. At once they began a wild, unbelievably frenetic dance accompanied by equally wild and ear-shattering drumming, yelling and singing while both men ran about the yurt in a manic fury which left nothing untouched. Everything was thrown about, kicked over and turned upside down until the place was in a state of total chaos. Eventually, almost as if struck dead, both of them collapsed exhaustedly and fell into a deep sleep. For the shaman this phase is the most important aspect of his exhausting ritual. It is in this trance-like sleep that the gateway to the 'Other-World' is opened, and he experiences vivid, even lucid dreams and ecstatic visions, often of a strongly sexual and sensual nature. In this state he can diagnose the causes of diseases, determine the whereabouts of lost objects, retrieve lost souls, fight with demonic forces or gleam visions of things to come.

This otherworldly state however, does not last long. After about half an hour of sleep the shaman briefly awakes to full consciousness but soon the inebriation sets in once more and continues in gradually weakening cycles of excitement, frenzy, exhaustion and sleep. The most curious aspect of this ritual is the fact that the inebriating power of the mushroom is not destroyed by normal metabolic processes, but instead is passed into the urine with almost no loss of effect. This has given cause to a rather unsavory habit described by some of the early ethnologists recounting their field experiences in Siberia: Those who had partaken of the mushroom would collect their own urine and without a moment's hesitation drink the liquid down, with the result of reinforcing the inebriation and starting the cycle all over once more. Sometimes the urine was saved in a special vessel for a later occasion or even shared with others who might not have been able to afford the mushrooms for themselves. (The rate of exchange in areas where it is not common is one reindeer per dried mushroom cap!) Even after passing through the body in this form substantial amounts of muscimol will again be passed into the urine unchanged.

Thus it is said that the same mushroom can be 'recycled' 6-8 times. During the phases of frenzy the inebriated person feels tremendously strong. They are also affected by what is known as 'macropsia', or micropsia, a visual distortion that lets objects appear much larger or much smaller than they really are. Thus a blade of grass might appear the size of a tree trunk or a small hole can turn into the entrance of a cave. Many unbelievable feats of strength and endurance have been accomplished under the influence of Fly Agaric. One man reportedly carried a 120-pound load for 10 miles without stopping, something he could never have done under normal circumstances. Some historians have proposed that the notorious raids of the Vikings/Norse men may have been carried out under the influence, turning them literally into 'Berserkers' with inhuman strength. However, there is no concrete evidence to support this theory.

(It is interesting to note that Lewis Caroll in his classic tale, Alice in Wonderland, lets his heroine encounter the magic mushroom at the gateway between solid and lucid realities: It is the abode of the stoned caterpillar, who explains some of the oddities of Wonderland to the confused Alice, who had already experienced the wondrous effects of 'macropsia', and micropsia, which happen to be a typical symptom of Fly Agaric inebriation. One wonders what those ‘Eat Me’ and ‘Drink Me’ bottles really contained and what kind of ‘Wonderland’ Lewis Caroll was really describingï¿½) Among the Koryak the mushroom was prepared by several different methods, the commonest of which was the one described above. On occasion though they boiled the fungi to cook a mushroom soup - though this is said to reduce its potency and thus more mushrooms were needed. Sometimes dried mushrooms were soaked in distilled Bilberry juice - obviously a fairly modern method since distillation only arrived in Siberia in the 1500. Occasionally they were mixed with the juice of Willow-Herb. No research is known to have investigated the possible synergistic action of this combination.

Medicinally it was used for 'psychophysical fatigue' and for bites of venomous snakes. (Saar, 1991) It was also applied externally to treat joint ailments (Moskalenko, 1987). In Afghanistan a fly agaric smoking mixture known as tshashm baskon ('eye opener') is used for psychosis (Mochtar & Geerken, 1979). In Western medicine Fly Agaric serves as a well known homeopathic remedy, used for tics, epilepsy and depression, and in conjunction with homeopathic Mandrake tincture, is used to treat Parkinson disease. (Villers & Thümen 1893, Waldschmidt 1992). The casual and experimental use of Fly Agaric in Western cultures has steadily increased since the 1960s. However, it is said that the effects of Amanita species found in North America and Central Europe are not equal to those found in Siberia. It is often claimed, though not proven, that the North American and European species tend to be more nauseating and not as lucid as their Siberian cousins.

It is unlikely that Fly Agaric will ever become a popular candidate for drug abuse among casual thrill seekers, as the inebriation is often accompanied by intense nausea and vomiting (some people have reported no other effect from the ingestion). While shamen often regard vomiting as a way to cleanse the body of impurities thus preparing it for possession by gods or spiritual beings, casual users tend to regard vomiting as a rather unpleasant side-effect. Furthermore, Fly Agaric inebriation results in a severe hangover the following day, which makes it also less appealing to casual users. However, people who have subjected themselves to self-experimentation often report visions of gnomes, not unlike those found in the suburban gardens mentioned above. These reports parallel mushroom lore from Siberia, which tells of ‘mushroom-men’, small stocky, sometimes neckless beings, who move swiftly and lead the shaman on his journey to the 'Other-World'. This curious lore is substantiated by a number of Siberian cliff drawings that strongly resemble descriptions of these Fly-Agaric men. The number of these little men is said to correspond with the number of mushrooms consumed, which is why the Yurak always take 2 ½ mushrooms.

They say, that the 2 ½ mushroom men run ahead along convoluted paths, and the shaman can only keep up with them because the half man runs more slowly. It would be neglectful not to mention Gordon Wasson in any discussion of ethnomycology, as he probably has done more to stimulate research in this field than anyone else. In the course of their extensive research into the folklore and folk-uses of fungi, him and his wife came upon some very interesting findings, which let them to believe that many of the mycophobic attitudes present today can be attributed to remnants of an ancient mushroom cult. According to their theory, subsequent layers of political and religious successions had long since demonized the once 'tabooed' sacraments and holy icons of this cult (the mushrooms). Needless to say, most of the academic establishment of the day did not welcome his suggestions and point blank rejected many of his findings. Nevertheless, he persisted and eventually met some scholars who were more receptive to his revolutionary ideas.

It is in no small part due to Wasson's pioneering work that the idea of psychotropic substance use (and in particular psychotropic mushroom use) as an integral part of magico-religious practices among 'primitive' cultures has gained much more widespread acceptance. In particular, Wasson conducted extensive research into the 'Rig Veda', a collection of sacred hymns composed by the Indo-Aryan peoples who swept down into the Indus valley of India some 3500 years ago. The ‘Rig Veda’ is one of the most ancient sacred texts known to mankind and it is full of references to sacred and medicinal plants. One substance, known as ‘Soma’, is mentioned with particular reverence- its praise is sung in more than one hundred verses, describing its potent powers and referring to its divine origin. It is generally accepted that Soma is some kind of psychotropic plant, though scholars have long argued over its precise botanical identity. Unfortunately, the authors of the ‘Rig Veda’ omit to mention any details regarding its leaves, flowers or fruit. Like most religious texts the hymns are written in a rather poetic language, which does not tend to elaborate on botanical details.

Instead, it allusively refers to Soma as ‘the one-legged’, ‘thunderborn’ and similar terms. Wasson concluded that this was an indication of the fungal nature of this mysterious plant, and proposed that Soma was in fact Fly Agaric. He argued that surely, if the Soma plant did display ‘mighty roots’ or ‘sweetly smelling flowers’ or any other such noteworthy features, no doubt the authors of the ‘Rig Veda’ would have given them a poetic line or two. However, since none of these structures apply to mushrooms the absence of their mention in itself provides a strong hint. Wasson studied the 'Rig Veda' in great detail and came up with a number of other supporting factors for his theory, which he published in his book 'Soma' in 1968. However, most of the scientific community at the time never quite accepted his proposals. Today scholars are split into two camps, those who support Wasson's findings, and those who are still doubtful and continue to search for the true identity of Soma. Certainly it is hard to interpret such ancient texts beyond reasonable doubt.

However, one has to ask the question of how and why such an obviously important substance could have been 'lost'. The only plausible answer lends support to the Wasson camp: the Aryan people, who came from the north, brought with them only the cultural memory of this magical substance, but not the actual plant. It is impossible to cultivate Fly Agaric and since it does not occur naturally in the Indus valley, it is likely that it gradually passed into the mythical realm. If one accepts the fungal nature of Soma then Fly Agaric really emerges as the most logical choice, even though other psychotropic mushrooms are native to the homelands of the Indo-Aryan people, their use is not as widespread and common, and to this day hardly anything is known about them. Still, who really knows what these people once might have known? Their knowledge has passed into oblivion. For all we know today, their sacred soma plant, fungus or not, may even have long since become extinct. The quest for soma continues to present a fascinating enigma - in keeping with the mysterious nature of the archetypal magical mushroom known as Fly Agaric.

WARNING: Fly Agaric is a powerful fungus, whose effects can be extremely variable and dangerous in the hands of fools. Self-experimentation is not recommended. In particular all amanita species with a white or greenish cap should be avoided, as these are definitely very deadly. The information provided in this article is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as medical advice. The author takes no responsibility for any events that may occur as a result of self-experimentation. For questions or comments email: kmorgenstern@sacredearth.com by title by author ABOUT THIS ARTICLE: Please note that all materials presented here are copyrighted. You may download it for your personal use or forward it to your friends or anybody you think might be interested, but please send it in its entirety and quote the source. Any other reuse or publication of our content is only permitted with expressed permission of the author. Please send comments or inquiries to Sacred Earth . Subscribe to SacredEarth_NewsLetter Powered by groups.yahoo.com This Article was originally published in the Sacred Earth Newletter. The Newsletter is a FREE service containing articles, news and reviews on all things herbal and/or ethnobotanical, with an approximate publication cylce of 6 - 8 weeks.

If you wish to subscribe, please use the subscription box to submit your e-mail address. Disclaimer: Please note that although all the references to edible and medicinal herbs are tried and tested, their efficacy cannot be guaranteed and has not been approved by the FDA. Furthermore, everybody responds differently to various plants, and adverse reactions cannot be ruled out. Historical information regarding poisonous plants is included for educational purposes only and should not be tried out at home. Everybody uses herbs at their own risk and thus must make themselves fully aware of their potential power. Any information given here is educational and should not replace a visit to the doctor should this be necessary. Neither Sacred Earth nor Kat Morgenstern accepts responsibility for anybody's home experimentation. Links to external sites are included as pointers to further resources - we do not endorse them or are in any way responsible for their content, nor do we thus verify that their content is accurate. Mythology and Folklore of Fly agaric | Trees for Life Fly agaric Fly agaric Think of any fairy tale illustration of elves or goblins sitting on or under a toadstool, and most likely the cap of such a fungus will be bright red with white spots.

The autumnal abundance and vibrant colours of the fly agaric mushroom make it probably the most widely recognised of our fungi . As the name suggests it was formerly used as an insecticide, with pieces often floated in milk, to intoxicate and kill flies attracted by its aroma. Similarly most people will be wary of its poisonous reputation (though fatal reactions are rare), and appreciation of this mushroom will mostly be limited to the aesthetic. It has been suggested that northern Europeans' wariness of mushrooms may stem from long-established taboos relating to the use of mushrooms containing mind expanding substances. These would originally have been reserved for those shamans or priests who served as intermediaries between the common folk and the unseen worlds of spirit. The fly agaric may have been the earliest source of entheogens, that is hallucinogenic substances used for religious or shamanic purposes, the use of which date back possibly over 10,000 years. Fly agaric has been put forward as the most likely candidate for the mysterious Soma, mentioned in around 150 hymns of the Hindu Rig-Veda, which was written between 1500 - 500 BC by Aryans in the Indus valley.

Soma was a moon god, as well as a related plant and a holy brew which were also worshipped. Though there have been many suggestions as to the identity of the plant, fly agaric fits many of the Vedic references as a substance with which to contact the gods. Fly agaric contains two toxins, ibotenic acid and muscimol, which are responsible for its psychoactive and hallucinogenic effects. To minimise its toxic side effects fly agaric would be processed in some way eg. dried, made into a drink, smoked or made into ointments. Care in its preparation and ritual were paramount. The Celtic Druids, for example, purified themselves by fasting and meditating for three days, drinking only water. Amongst the Koryak people of north-eastern Siberia the ceremonial use of fly agaric involved the shaman ingesting the mushroom, after which others would drink his urine to partake of its entheogenic effects. Though this sounds distinctly unpleasant to modern ears, if the shaman had been fasting, the urine would have been mainly water containing the hallucinogenic compounds. The body absorbs the fly agaric's hallucinogens first, and then expels the toxins from the stomach.

The hallucinogenic chemicals then exert their influence on the body and are expelled unaltered in the urine. Reindeer in northern Europe are also attracted to the fly agaric's euphoric effects and Siberian people would notice the drunken behaviour of such animals and slaughter them to get the same effects from eating the meat. Modern research has also shown that the two active ingredients' effect on the brain can inhibit fear and the startle reflex. This would corroborate theories that the ferocious Viking Berserker warriors used fly agaric prior to going into battle, bringing on the uncontrolled rage and fearlessness for which they were renowned. Fly agaric has been a popular icon for the Midwinter and Christmas festivities in central Europe for a long time and is found on Christmas cards and as replica decorations for tree and wreath. Our current concept of Santa Claus can be traced back as an amalgamation of several characters of popular European folklore, such as a more pagan Scandinavian house goblin who offered protection from malevolent spirits in return for a feast at midwinter, and the fourth century Byzantine archbishop who became St Nicolas and was renowned for his kindness to children.

More recently it has been suggested that the Siberian use of fly agaric may have played a part in the development of the legend of Santa Claus too. At midwinter festivals the shaman would enter the yurt through the smoke hole and down the central supporting birch pole, bringing with him a bag of dried fly agaric. After conducting his ceremonies he would leave the same way he had come. Ordinary people would have believed the shaman could fly himself, or with the aid of reindeer which they also knew to have a taste for fly agaric. Santa is now dressed in the same colours as the fly agaric, carries a sack with special gifts, comes and goes via the chimney, can fly with reindeer and lives in the 'Far North'. Paul Kendall Erowid Psychoactive Amanitas Vault : History Overview History of Amanita muscaria by Erowid, January 2002 circa 5000-3000 BCE : The earliest evidence of Amanita muscaria use as an intoxicant is based on linguistic analysis of languages from northern Asia.

Around 4000 BCE, the Uralic language split into two branches, both of which contain similar root words for inebriation. In some of these languages the root "pang" signifies both 'intoxicated' and the A. muscaria mushroom. These linguistic similarities suggest (but do not prove) that A. muscaria was known to be intoxicating before the languages split around 4000 BCE. 1 circa 1000-2000 BCE: Petroglyphs along the Pegtymel River which drains into the Arctic Ocean in north eastern Siberia "depict anthropomorphic figures with mushrooms appended to their heads." 2 The Pegtymel river area is currently inhabited by the modern Chukchi culture who are known to have used A. muscaria as a traditional inebriant. 500-0 BCE: Rg Veda hymns, a set of sacred stories from India, include mentions of a magical intoxicant called Soma. In 1968, R. Gordon Wasson published the controversial book Soma: Divine Mushroom of Immortality , speculating that Soma refers to Amanita muscaria.

100 AD: 7.5 cm high miniature statue of an Amanita muscaria dated to 100 AD found in Nayarit, Mexico, suggests A. muscaria may have been in use in coastal Mexico. Many other sculptures from Central and South America depict the ritual use of other psychoactive plants and mushrooms. circa 0 - 1800 AD: Some Scandivian historians believe that Viking 'Bezerker Warriors' ingested Amanita muscaria before going into battle. Wasson writes "No one who discusses the fly agaric in Europe can ignore the debate that has been carried on for almost two centuries in Scandinavia on this issue.

First Samuel Odman in 1784 and then Frederik Christian Schubeler in 1886 propounded the thesis that those Viking warriors knows as 'beserks' ate the fly-agaric before they 'went beserk'; in short, that 'beserk-raging' was deliberately caused by the ingestion of our spotted amanita." (Soma page 341) 1291 AD: Fresco in Plaincourault Abbey in Indre, France depicts Adam and Eve standing beside a Tree of Knowledge which bears a striking resemblance to an Amanita muscaria mushroom. Art historians argue that this is a stylized tree having nothing to do with A. muscaria ( see note ) 1658 AD: Polish prisoner of war writes about a culture from western Siberia (Ob-Ugrian Ostyak of the Irtysh region) "They eat certain fungi in the shape of fly-agarics, and thus they become drunk worse than on vodka, and for them that's the very best banquet." - from Kamiensky Dluzyk "Diary of Muscovite Captivity published 1874 pg 382.

1 1730: A Swedish Colonel, Filip Johann von Strahlenberg, who spent 12 years in Siberia as a prisoner of war wrote a book titled "An Historico-Geographical Description of the North and Eastern Parts of Europe and Asia" which includes a detailed description of the practice of ingesting tea made from A. muscaria and the practice of drinking the urine of those who have ingested the mushroom in order to recycle the psychoactive ingredients. "The Russians who trade with them [Koryak - a tribe on the Kamchatka peninsula], carry thither a Kind of Mushrooms, called in the Russian Tongue, Muchumor, which they exchange for Squirils, Fox, Hermin, Sable, and other Furs: Those who are rich among them, lay up large Provisions of these Mushrooms, for the Winter. When they make feast, they pour water upon some of these Mushrooms and boil them. They then drink the Liquor, which intoxicates them; The poorer Sort who cannot afford to lay in a Store of these Mushrooms, post themselves on these occasions, round the huts of the rich and watch the opportunity of the guests comind down to make water.

And then hold a wooden bowl to receive the urine which they drink off greedily, as having still some virtue of the mushroom in it and by this way they also get drunk." (Wasson 1968, pg 235) 1784: Samuel Odman writes a book arguing that Viking Bezerkers deliberately ingested A. muscaria to put them in a frenzy for battle. This theory is eventually accepted by many Scandinavian historians, but remains without much direct evidence to support it. Odman S Of all Swedish plants, however, I consider the Fly-Agaric, Agaricus muscarius, to be the one which really solves the mystery of the Beserks. Its use is so widespread in Northern Asia that there are hardly any nomadic tribes that do not use it in order to deprive themselves of their feelings and senses that may enjoy the animal pleasure of escaping the salutary bonds of reason... Those who use this mushroom first become merry, so that they sing, shout, etc., then it attacks the functions of the brain and they have the sensation of becoming very big and strong; the frenzy increases and is accompanied by unusual energy and convulsive movements.

The sober persons in their company often have to watch them to see that they do no violence to themselves or others. The raving lasts 12 hours, more or less. Wasson and others have taken issue with this description because it seems to contradict the experiences of many who ingest the A. muscaria and find it sedating. (note) Siberian legends tell of the use of Amanita muscaria, including mentions of increased strength. (note) circa 1960-1965: A. muscaria use appears in United States urban subcultures, but remains rare because many users report the effects to be unpleasant. 1978: A Native American author, Keewaydinoquay, writes of the traditional use of A. muscaria by the Ahnishinaubeg (Ojibway) people who live near Lake Superior in North America. Although this use is assumed to be quite old, the earliest documented use is from the 20th Century. 1980s: Several books and scientific journal articles appear which describe modern and traditional use of A.

muscaria as an inebriant in many areas of the world, including other native American tribes (such as the Dogrib Athabascan tribe from north west Canada), groups in Spain, and more tribes in East Asia. Ott References # Fly Agaric 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Mailstop Code: 1103 Washington DC 20250-1103 Contact Us Fly Agaric In the “old world”, the psychoactive fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria) has been closely associated with northern European and Asiatic shamans and their rituals. Researchers have documented its use or presumed use by numerous cultures throughout Europe and Asia. In Siberia, its use predates the crossing of the Bering Straits into North America. Fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria) shown here from "button" stage through full maturity. Photo credit: Bugwood Forestry Images. During the Pleistocene, the use of fly agaric entered Alaska, spread out across North America, and eventually south into Mesoamerica.

However, the use of the fly agaric mushroom fell by the wayside in the “new world” due to the availability of liberty cap mushrooms (Psilocybe spp.). Liberty caps became the preferred psychoactive fungi as they were more easily tolerated and produced more intense experiences. Fly-Agaric’s Influence on Modern Midwinter and Christmas Celebrations Why does Santa Claus wear a red coat and pants trimmed with white fur and black boots? Why does Santa come down the chimney and into the house to deliver his gifts? Why do reindeer pull Santa’s sleigh? Why does Santa carry his gifts in a sack? Why does Santa have such rosy cheeks? There is a saying that behind every myth lies a wee bit of truth. The answer to these questions may be found in pre-Christian rituals practiced in northern Europe at the time of the winter solstice. The collection, preparation, and use of fly agaric mushrooms (Amanita muscaria) were central to many northern European and Asian peoples’ winter solstice celebrations and ceremonies. In the days leading up to the winter solstice, the fly agaric mushroom appears under trees, mostly firs and spruces.

The fly agaric mushroom’s cap is dark red to reddish-orange with creamy-white small patches dotting the cap in an irregular pattern. Vintage holiday cards. In central Asia, shamans wore special garments to collect the fly agaric mushrooms. Their coats and pants were red with the collar and cuffs trimmed with white fur and topped off with black boots. The shaman collected the fly agaric mushrooms in a special sack. After collecting the mushrooms, the shaman would return to his village and enter the yurt (a portable tent dwelling) through the smoke hole on the roof; does this sound familiar? During the ceremonial ritual, the shaman would consume and share the sacred mushrooms with the participants. The smoke hole was a gateway or portal into the spiritual world where the people would experience many visions. Among the Sami (Laplander) peoples, the hallucinations associated with ingestion of fly agaric gave the sensation of flying in a “spiritual sleigh” pulled by reindeer or horses (i.e., Santa in his sleigh journeying out into the night to give gifts).

Watch this short video from the BBC wildlife show “Weird Nature” to learn more about the reindeer appetite for intoxicating fungi, and perhaps discover a little more about the origins of Santa's flying companions! A side effect from eating fly agaric mushrooms was a rosy, red flush to the cheeks and face. Common winter rituals included drying and stringing fly agaric mushrooms near the hearth. To this day, many people all over the world still decorate the family hearth and Christmas tree with strings of popcorn, cranberries, and mushroom ornaments. It is a reminder that many winter solstice traditions have long-forgotten histories brought forward into modern secular festivities, including the Christmas holiday. Christmas card displaying the hanging of Amanita muscaria on a door. Amanita muscaria Christmas ornaments. Fly agaric | Plant & fungi species | Wild plants Plant & fungi species towards saving wild plants in the UK Fly agaric © Laurie Campbell Bright red with white spots, the fly agaric is the archetypal toadstool. Fly agaric is so called because its caps were used to attract and poison flies, often broken up into milk or sprinkled with sugar.

Do not try and eat it – it can be just as toxic to humans! Distribution

Question: Fly Agaric is which type of plant?
Answer: Fungus