Subject: Macrolepiota rhacodes allergic reaction

From: Graham Orme <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 06 Sep 96 13:46:24 GMT

I have a nice crop of Macrolepiota rhacodes (shaggy parasol) growing
in the garden, which at some stage I would like to eat. However, the
reference books I have, mention that some people are allergic to it,
but they don't go into any detail.

Please could anyone tell me
  What form the allergic reaction takes
  What proportion of the population might react (is it 25% or 1 in 10000)

-- 
Graham Orme                 Maldon Environmental Technology Limited
                            Tel: +44 1621 855572.

---

From: JeremyBrowne <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 08 Sep 96 18:48:53 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>

> but they don't go into any detail.

Go for it, Graham, they aren't one of the major toxic ones. Try them (don't 
overdo it, have a small dishful at first), enjoy them, then decide if they give 
you a guts ache or not. If no problems, you're in clover! I love them.

>   What form the allergic reaction takes
	Gut ache, I believe.
>   What proportion of the population might react (is it 25% or 1 in 10000)
	No telling. But you might like to remember that some people can't drink 
	cows' milk, some can't eat nuts etc. etc.

Good luck
-- 
Jeremy Browne, Hampshire, UK
[email-masked]
Shaking Hands BBS, Fidonet 2:252/160 (+44 1252 626233, also FAX)

---

From: Thomas O'Dell <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 09:48:51 -0700

Go for it only if you are sure of your id.
M rhachodes is white spored, the flesh bruises orange to reddish brown...
a similar, highly toxic species, Chlorophyllum molybdites, is
_green-spored_
check it out
when in doubt, throw it out!
bon appetite!

> 	cows' milk, some can't eat nuts etc. etc.

[email-masked]
Dr. Thomas E. O'Dell, Ph.D.
USDA Forest Service,
Forestry Sciences Lab.
3200 Jefferson Wy.
Corvallis, OR 97331

---

From: JeremyBrowne <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 09 Sep 96 17:47:40 GMT

Graham, I have to say I agree entirely with what Thomas says: I was too eager 
to encourage you, not knowing how good your shroom identification might be. 
Culpa mea! (Bows head, walking off to stand in corner!)

---

From: [email-masked] (David Bartolotta)
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 08:05:28 GMT

>Dr. Thomas E. O'Dell, Ph.D.

A friend of mine has been eating Lepiota rhachodes in volume all
summer long.  He has recently developed a "reaction" to them.  His
mouth gets "tingly/numb" within a minute or so after taking a
mouthfull.  I have known them to have a "laxative" effect on some
folks.  It's alway wise to eat just a small amount of them at first to
test them out.  And DO NOT eat any other kind of 'shrooms with them
for a couple days before OR after.  You will want to have them alone
in your system to make sure that they agree with you.  I've never had
any problems with them.  They are one of my favorites.

The Chlorophyllum molybdites does NOT seem to grow close to the
oceanside areas.  It would be found perhaps 20 miles inland.  This is,
of course, just a rough estimate, but appears to be true in the San
Francisco Bay Area.

As always, be CERTAIN of your identification.  Do a spore print.  Get
to a fungus fair of some sort and look at the differences of the two
species side by side.

And last of all, have a wonderful time with some creative meals.

My very best to all of you,

David Bartolotta

[email-masked]