List of deadly mushroom species

Although many people have a fear of mushroom poisoning by "toadstools", only a small number of the many macroscopic fruiting bodies commonly known as mushrooms and toadstools have proven fatal to humans.

This list is not exhaustive and does not contain many fungi that, although not deadly, are still harmful. For a less-detailed list of fungi that include non-deadly poisonous species, see List of poisonous fungi.

Fungi with significant risk of death if consumed + Scientific name Common name Active Agent Toxicity Habitat Similar edible species PictureAmanita amerivirosa Tulloss R.E, Kudzma L.V., Tulloss M.A., Rockefeller A.Destroying angelamanitinsliverWoodland eastern North America; MediterraneanAmanita arocheae Tulloss, Ovrebo & HallingLatin American death capamanitinsliverWoodland (oak) MexicoAmanita bisporigera G. F. Atk.Eastern destroying angelamanitinsliverWoodland (pine and oak) Eastern North AmericaAmanita exitialis Zhu L. Yang & T.H. LiGuangzhou destroying angelamanitinsliverDeciduous woodland Guangdong province, China; IndiaAmanita fuliginea HongoEast Asian brown death capamanitinsliverWoodland ChinaAmanita magnivelaris PeckGreat felt skirt destroying angelamanitinsliverAmericasAmanita ocreata PeckWestern destroying angelamanitinsliverWoodland (oak) Pacific Northwest North AmericaAmanita phalloides (Vaill. ex Fr.) Linkdeath capamanitinsliver Woodland (various)Europe, North Africa, North America, Australia (SE), New ZealandAmanita smithiana Bas smith's lepidella2-amino-4,5-hexadienoic acid and possibly other toxic npAAsliver & kidneyWoodland Japan and Pacific NorthwestAmanita sphaerobulbosa HongoAsian abrupt-bulbed Lepidella2-amino-4,5-hexadienoic acid and possibly other toxic npAAsliver & kidneyMixed woodlands, eastern AsiaAmanita subpallidorosea Qing Cai, Zhu L. Yang & Y.Y. CuiamanitinsliverWoodland ChinaAmanita subjunquillea S. ImaiEast Asian death capamanitinsliverWoodland East and Southeast Asia, Japan, IndiaAmanita verna (Bull.: Fr.) Lam.Fool's mushroomamanitinsliverWoodland (various) EuropeAgaricus arvensisAgaricus campestrisLycoperdon spp.Amanita virosa (Fr.) BertillonEuropean destroying angelamanitinsliverWoodland (various) EuropeAgaricus arvensisAgaricus campestrisLycoperdon spp.Calonarius splendensRob. Henrysplendid webcap, yellow clubbed footorellaninekidneyConocybe rugosa (Peck) Singer more commonly known as Conocybe filarisamanitinslivergrassland, lawns, rich soil and compost North America, Europe and AsiaPsilocybe spp.Claviceps purpureaErgotergot alkaloidsmultiplegrassClitocybe dealbata (Sowerby) Gilletivory funnelmuscarineCNSgrasslandEurope, North AmericaMarasmius oreadesClitopilus prunulusClitocybe rivulosa (Pers.) P. Kumm.false champignonmuscarineCNSgrasslandEurope, North AmericaMarasmius oreadesClitopilus prunulusCortinarius orellanus FriesFool's webcaporellaninekidneyConiferous woodland Northern EuropeCortinarius rubellus Cookedeadly webcaporellaninekidneyConiferous woodland Northern EuropeCortinarius eartoxicus Gasparinideadly webcaporellaninekidneyTasman Peninsula, TasmaniaGalerina marginata (Batsch) Kühnerautumn skullcapamanitinsliverworldwideKuehneromyces mutabilisGalerina sulciceps (Batsch) KühnertoadstoolamanitinsliverIndonesiaGyromitra esculenta (Pers. ex Pers.) Fr.false morelgyromitrin and monomethylhydrazinemultiple(depletes PLP stores)Coniferous woodlands in the Northern HemisphereMorchella spp.Inosperma erubescens (A. Blytt) Matheny & Esteve-Rav.red-staining inocybe (prev. I. patouillardii)muscarineCNSDeciduous woodland (beech) EuropeCalocybe gambosaAgaricus spp.Cortinarius caperatusLepiota brunneoincarnata Chodat & C. Martíndeadly dapperlingamanitinsliverConiferous woodland EuropeLepiota brunneolilacea Bon & Boiffardstar dapperlingamanitinsliverSand dunes of Western EuropeLepiota castanea Quélchestnut dapperlingamanitinsliverConiferous woodland EuropeLepiota helveolaBres.amanitinsliverConiferous woodlands of EuropeLepiota subincarnatadeadly parasolamanitinsliverAsia, Europe, and North AmericaTrichoderma cornu-damaepoison fire coralsatratoxin-Hbone marrow, brain and skinJapan, South Korea, Papua New Guinea, AustraliaGanoderma Paxillus involutus (Batsch ex Fr.) Fr.brown roll-rimunknown, possibly glycoprotein antigenextreme autoimmune reaction with hemolysisEurope and North America Trogia venenata Zhu L.Yang, Y.C.Li & L.P.TangLittle White (2S,4R)‐2‐amino‐4‐hydroxyhex‐5‐ynoic acid cardiac arrhythmia and hypoglycemia(Yunnan sudden death syndrome)Yunnan, Chinawhite Pleurotus

Fungi where isolated deaths have been reported Scientific name Common name Active Agent Toxicity Habitat Similar edible species PictureAmanita muscariaFly agaricMuscimolCNSNorthern hemisphere, coniferous and deciduous woodlandRubroboletus pulcherrimusFr. Red-pored boleteunknownsevere gastrointestinalWoodland Western North AmericaBoletus edulisNeoboletus luridiformisChlorophyllum molybditesGreen spored parasolunknownsevere gastrointestinal Worldwide (rare in Europe)Entoloma sinuatum (Bull.) P. Kumm. Livid pinkgillunknownsevere gastrointestinalDeciduous woodland North America, EuropeClitopilus prunulus Calocybe gambosa Entoloma abortivumHypholoma fasciculare (Huds.:Fr.) P. Kumm.sulfur tuftFasciculol F and E severe gastrointestinalWoodland Western North AmericaArmillaria melleaHypholoma capnoidesLactarius torminosus (Schaeff.) Graywoolly milk-capunknownsevere gastrointestinalWoodland Northern EuropeLactarius deliciosusOmphalotus illudens (Schwein.) Bresinsky & Besljack-o'lantern mushroomIlludins M and S, Muscarine severe cramps, vomiting, and diarrheaNorth AmericaCantharellus californicusOmphalotus japonicus (Kawam.) Kirchm. & O.K.Mill. (2002)jack-o'lantern mushroomIlludins M and S, Muscarine severe cramps, vomiting, and diarrheaJapanPleurotus ostreatusLentinula edodesPanellus serotinusPleurocybella porrigensAngel Wings PleurocybellaziridinneurotoxicWoodland (various) North America, Europe and AsiaPleurotus pulmonariusRussula subnigricans HongoNisekurohatsu cycloprop-2-ene carboxylic acidrhabdomyolysisworldwide Tricholoma equestre (L.) P. Kumm.yellow knight, man-on-horsebackpossibly cycloprop-2-ene carboxylic acid?rhabdomyolysisworldwide

See also List of poisonous mushroom species Mycotoxicology

Footnotes