Amanita pantherina, also known as the panther cap, false blusher, and the panther amanita due to its similarity to the true blusher (Amanita rubescens), is a species of fungus found in Eurasia with poisonous and psychoactive properties.

Description

thumb|upright=1.6|Amanita pantherina (top left) compared to closely related speciesThe cap is wide, hemispheric at first, then convex to plano-convex, deep brown to hazel-brown to pale ochraceous brown, densely distributed warts that are pure white to sordid cream, minutely verruculose, floccose, easily removable. Viscid when wet, with a short striate margin. The flesh is white, unchanging when injured.

The gills are adnexed to free,

The stipe is 5–15 cm long × .6–3 cm wide, It has also been recorded from South Africa, where it is thought to have been accidentally introduced with trees imported from Europe and Asia.

It is an ectomycorrhizal fungus, living in root symbiosis with a tree, deriving photosynthesised nutrients from it and providing soil nutrients in return.

Toxicity

A. pantherina is toxic, more so than A. muscaria. two psychoactive constituents which can cause effects such as hallucinations, synaesthesia, euphoria, dysphoria and retrograde amnesia. The effects of muscimol and ibotenic acid most closely resemble that of a Z drug, like Ambien at high doses, and not a classical psychedelic, e.g. psilocybin.

A. pantherina is used as an entheogen much less often than its much more distinguishable relative A. muscaria, largely due to being less recognizable and far more potent. A. muscaria contains a higher concentration of ibotenic acid. While ibotenic acid is mostly broken down by the body into muscimol, what remains of the ibotenic acid is believed to cause the majority of dysphoric effects of consuming psychoactive Amanita species. Ibotenic acid is also a scientifically important neurotoxin used in lab research as a brain-lesioning agent in mice.

As with other wild-growing mushrooms, the ratio of ibotenic acid to muscimol depends on countless external factors, including: season, age, and habitat—and percentages will naturally vary from mushroom to mushroom—with dark brown A. pantherina specimens having a greater concentration of ibotenic acid.

A. muscaria and A. pantherina are illegal to buy, sell, or possess in the Netherlands since December 2008. Possession of amounts larger than 0.5 g dried or 5 g fresh lead to a criminal charge.

See also

  • List of Amanita species

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Amanita pantherina MdE 1.jpg

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Amanita Ameripantherina.jpg|Amanita ameripathera

Spore_print_Amanita_Pantherina.jpg| Spore print

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References

  • Webpages on Amanita species by Tulloss and Yang Zhuliang
  • Amanita on erowid.org
  • Aminita muscaria, Amanita pantherina and others (Group PIM G026) by IPCS INCHEM