Stránka:book 1922.djvu/341

Mushrooms, Fungi, or Toadstools 311 of the stem is elongated tapering downward; the Napkin Amanitas (nappa), volva circularly split; but all will be known by the four characters, poison-cup, ring, white or yello^vish gills, and the form shown in the diagram — and all are deadly poison. Amanita phalloides. This wan demon of the woods is probably the deadliest of all vegetable growths. To this pale villain or its kin is traced the responsibility for all deaths on record from toad- stool poisoning. There have been cases of recovery when a strong man got but a Httle of the poison, but any one mak- ing a meal of this fungus, when beyond reach of medical aid, has but a poor chance of escape. Its poison is a subtle alkaloid akin to rattlesnake venom, it rarely begins to show