AAP, ADELAIDE - A deadly mushroom known as the death cap has been found in South Australia for the first time.

Health authorities said the Amanita phalloides mushroom was discovered recently growing in the University of Adelaide's Waite Arboretum.
 
Its identity was confirmed by DNA analysis.
 
Ingestion of the death cap has previously resulted in two deaths in Australia, and worldwide its consumption has caused more deaths than any other mushroom.
 
SA Health's chief medical officer Paddy Phillips said the discovery of the state's first death cap mushroom provided a timely reminder of the dangers of eating unidentified wild fungi.
 
"The death cap may be confused with other, edible mushrooms such as the straw mushroom used in Asian cuisine and a similar species found in Australia.
 
"All parts of the death cap are deadly if eaten, with one cap sufficient to kill a healthy adult.
 
"Initial symptoms of stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhoea may occur between six and 24 hours after eating."
Professor Phillips said there was no antidote for the mushroom's toxin and once eaten, survival depended on early recognition and treatment.
 
"Anyone who becomes ill after eating mushrooms should seek urgent medical attention and, if possible, bring a whole mushroom with them for identification."
 
Fungi specialist Pam Catcheside, from the Adelaide botanic gardens and state herbarium, said the death cap could also be present in the Mt Lofty Ranges in SA, just not yet recorded.
 
The specimen found at the Waite Arboretum was probably the result of spores travelling from interstate with the mushroom common in suburban Canberra and Melbourne.
 
An introduced fungus, the death cap grows in association with oaks although, in countries other than Australia, it has been reported around eucalypts, acacias and pines.
 
The cap may be between 40-150mm in diameter, is dome-shaped initially, then becomes flattened. It is often olive-greenish but may be pale yellow and sometimes brownish.

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Ireen Sultana  - Aware our Mushroom farmers |2008-07-21 23:49:11 Mushroom cultivation is becoming much popular in our land for the last couple of years. Comparatively small investment but huge profit encouraging to develop a lot Mushroom farmers. Even educated youths, house-wives are also emerging as a mushroom farmer as well as a businessman. Recently our food habit is also having some smart changes, doctors suggesting to include mushrooms with daily foods. We import healthy mushroom seeds or our farmers produce seeds; Though we have a lot mushroom cultivation training centers, it is understood that most farmers might not be literate enough to classify such healthy or unhealthy seeds/plants. We might not have a scope of such Death Cap mushroom plants or seeds in Bangladesh now, but it is true that some of our greedy businessmen always like to play some unhealthy tricks with our consumption foods. It is obvious that we educate of our mushroom farmers, suppliers, businessmen about such life taking 3   1

Ireen Sultana  - Aware our Mushroom farmers |2008-07-22 10:46:10 ** It is obvious that we educate our mushroom farmers, suppliers, businessmen about such life taking Mushroom species. 1   1

Nayeemul Choudhury  - Emerging sector |2008-07-24 23:26:21 Mushroom farming is one of the brightest and emerging sector in Bangladesh now a days. It can bring a healthy position to our economy if all the stakeholders take necessary initiatives to it. 2   0

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