Amanita muscaria in native vegetation on Kangaroo Island. Photo: J. Haska.

Today, 24 Jan. 2024, the State Herbarium of South Australia published the first article in this year’s volume of its journal Swainsona, Vol. 38.

T. Lebel, T.W. May, J.A. Cooper, D. Catcheside, P. Catcheside & J. Haska. Confirming the presence of five exotic species of Amanita in Australia and New Zealand (32.4mb PDF).

The authors of this study examined and viewed herbarium collections and citizen scientists’ records (e.g. iNaturalist, FungiMap) of exotic Amanita in Australia and New Zealand and undertook a molecular phylogenetic analysis of selected samples. They conclude that there are three introduced species in both countries and two more species in New Zealand only. Often other names of northern hemisphere taxa have been applied here, but these are considered misidentifications. Descriptions, notes, photos and distribution maps are provided for all five species. All five exotic Amanita species are considered toxic and not edible: Amanita muscaria (fly agaric) and A. phalloides (death cap) are the most well-known of these.

In a poisoning emergency phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

AUSTRALIA – 13 11 26

NEW ZEALAND – 0800 764 766

To access content of all volumes of Swainsona and the Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Gardens since Vol. 1 (1976), please visit the journal’s web-site at flora.sa.gov.au/swainsona.