Destroying angel

The name destroying angel applies to several similar, closely related species of deadly all-white mushrooms in the genus Amanita.

[2] Destroying angels are among the most toxic known mushrooms; both they and the closely related death caps (A. phalloides) contain amatoxins.

Perhaps the most telltale of the features is the presence of a volva, or universal veil, so called because it is a membrane that encapsulates the entire mushroom, rather like an egg, when it is very young.

Young destroying angels that are still enclosed in their universal veils can be mistaken for puffballs, but slicing them in half longitudinally will reveal internal mushroom structures.

Symptoms do not appear for 5 to 24 hours, by which time the toxins may already be absorbed and the damage (destruction of liver and kidney tissues) is irreversible.

It was concluded that "...intensive combined treatment applied in these cases is effective in relieving patients with both moderate and severe amanitin poisoning.