ORDER AGARICALES 



503 



not poisonous, or occurring only occasionally here and there so as to be 

 too scattered for collection in sufficient numbers for a meal, so that the 

 majority are not usually subjects of concern as possible edible products. 

 Among the poisonous mushrooms several species of Amanita are ex- 

 ceedingly dangerous. A. phalloides (Bull.) Fr. and some of its close rela- 



FiG. 168. Agaricales, Family Agaricaceae. 

 Amanita verna (Fr.) Quel. (Courtesy, M. B. 

 Walters.) 



tives (e.g. A. verna (Fr.) Quel.) are so poisonous that a piece one cubic 

 centimeter in size will cause severe illness or even death, there being no 

 known antidote for the poisonous principle. A. muscaria (L.) Fr. was 

 formerly used for the purpose of destroying flies as the sticky cuticle is 

 very poisonous. In some parts of Europe and Siberia after careful removal 

 of the cuticle the remainder of the fungus is eaten with apparent safety. 

 Some tribes in Siberia make an intoxicating beverage out of the fungus. 



