The state’s chief health officer warned Victorian’s this week that the death cap was as ominous as it sounds. 

“The death cap is extremely toxic and responsible for 90 per cent of all mushroom poisoning deaths,” professor Charles Guest said.

“Death can follow within 48 hours.”

Victoria’s chief health officer this week warned Autumn weather had created ideal growing conditions for poisonous mushrooms.

The warning coincides with the arrival of the mushrooming season, spawned when rain encourages growth of the fungi in the still warm earth.

Mapping by Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria has found the death cap to be widespread across Melbourne in both public and private gardens.

Tom May, a senior mycologist at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria said the death cap was widespread across Melbourne in both public and private gardens and also occurs in Victorian regional areas – always associated with oak trees.

“The death cap appears any time from January to June, but is most common a week or two after good rains in summer and autumn,” Mr May said.

Mr Guest identified the death cap (amanita phalloidesas) top among the state’s two most dangerous varieties, followed by the Yellow Staining mushroom, (garicus xanthodermus).

The death cap is a large mushroom, with a cap ranging from light olive green to greenish yellow in colour. The gills are white, and the base of the stem is surrounded by a cup-shaped sac.

Mr Guest said the commonly found Yellow Staining mushroom turns yellow when the cap or stem is bruised by a thumbnail.

“These are often gathered and mixed with field mushrooms, and can cause nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhoea in some people,” he said. 

“While commercially-sold mushrooms are safe, poisonings can occur when people gathering wild mushrooms inadvertently include toxic species,” Mr Guest said.

“Anyone who becomes ill after eating mushrooms should seek urgent medical advice and, if possible, take samples of the whole mushroom for identification.

“If you have any doubts about a species of fungus or mushroom, don’t eat it.” 

More information about this species can be found on the Better Health Channel website here and a chief health officer’s alert is available here.