The death cap is a European Amanita introduced to North America. A distribution study describes two North American ranges: the West Coast from California to British Columbia and the East Coast from Maryland to Maine (Wolfe et al.). HealthLinkBC says it is invasive in B.C., arrived with imported European trees, grows mostly in urban parts of Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, and was behind a child’s death in B.C. in 2016 (HealthLinkBC).
Its toxins are amatoxins, and StatPearls associates the death cap with the most mushroom fatalities (Horowitz and Moss). HealthLinkBC says there is no known antidote, that a liver transplant may be needed, and that cooking, drying or freezing does not inactivate the toxin (HealthLinkBC).
Ontario’s picture is unclear. GBIF holds 12 Ontario records, all preserved specimens dated 1902 to 2008 (GBIF), while iNaturalist showed no Ontario observations when the journal checked (iNaturalist). A review warns that old records based on shifting species concepts are of little use (Pringle and Vellinga). This page gives no identification guidance.
General information, not medical advice. In an emergency in Canada, call 911. For a mental-health crisis, call or text 9-8-8.
Sources
- HealthLinkBC: Death cap mushrooms (Amanita phalloides)
- Wolfe et al.: Distribution and abundance of Amanita phalloides in North America
- Horowitz and Moss: Amatoxin mushroom toxicity (StatPearls)
- GBIF occurrence search: Amanita phalloides, Ontario
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