Amanitas of North America

Description

Discover the Amanitas of North America! Amanitas arguably are the most recognized and fascinating of all mushrooms. Amanita species mostly are big and showy, and ubiquitous over most of the planet wherever terrestrial plants grow. These mushrooms have been the subject of lore, make the news headlines with regularity, and Amanitas have even changed the course of world history. Many Amanita species are highly prized as choice edibles and commercially available in markets around the world. Others are infamous for annually causing death to careless pickers—indeed 90% of mushroom-related fatalities are due to Amanita species.

Amanitas of North America features images and descriptions of more than 120 species and species groups of Amanitas found in North America. Along with the most commonly seen species, rare or poorly known Amanita species are included. Plus, there are chapters on the history of mushroom research and mythology, mushroom physiology and chemistry, and toxicology. Amanitas of North America also features chapters on the genus Limacella, a small but closely allied group in the Amanitaceae, and on commonly encountered fungal parasites of Amanitas.

Authors: Britt Bunyard and Jay Justice