Question

The deadliest mushroom is.
a. Agaricus
b. Amanita
c. Pleurotus
d. Volvariella
e. None of the above

Answer 1

A mushroom is the mold that comes under the kingdom fungus. It is a fleshy edible ’fruit’, and only certain varieties can be taken in diet. They are different varieties of mushroom, each has specific nutritional value and functions. It is not that all mushrooms provide nutrition, some mushrooms are poisonous they are known as the deadliest mushroom.

Complete answer:
- The amatoxins and orellanine, and other compounds which make the mushroom to be poisonous.
- There are about 70 - 80 species of poisonous mushroom.
- Most edible and non-edible mushrooms look the same. So, it is a little difficult to differentiate them.

- There are many varieties of the deadliest mushrooms, some of them are described below:
Amanita phalloides (death cap)
Conocybe filaris (lawn mushroom)
Cortinarius species
Galerina marginata
Lepiota brunneoin carnata

- Amanita is one of the world's deadliest mushrooms.
- Amanita species (the destroying angels) – this mushrooms contains amatoxin (toxic compound made up of alpha amanitin and cyclic octapeptide.), when it is collected by mistake, it slowly attacks the cell and causes vomiting, kidney failure, central nervous system and finally causes death.
- Pleurotus, Volvariella and agaricus are the edible “mushroom”, which can be added in diet. Amanita is one of the world poisonous mushrooms, and it is also in white which is non-edible to eat.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note: Mostly white mushrooms are edible to eat. The mushrooms such as shiitake, oyster, maitake, and portobellos are edible and healthier to eat. Amanita mushroom contains amatoxin, mycotoxin like compounds as a death cap, and these types of mushrooms cause kidney failure, food poison, and also leads to death.