Röd flugsvamp (Amanita muscaria) är en mycket vanlig svamp med typiskt utseende, röd med vita prickar. Liksom många flugsvampar är den röda flugsvampen giftig och skall därför inte användas som matsvamp.
Traditionella användningsområden är som insektsgift och som drog[1], och av sibiriska schamaner för att uppnå ett förändrat medvetandetillstånd. Linné beskrev hur slem från mosade ruttna flugsvampar kunde användas för att utrota vägglöss.
Enligt sägnen använde vikingar röd flugsvamp för att framkalla tillräckligt mycket vrede för att kunna gå bärsärkagång. Det finns dock inga historiska bevis för detta och de flesta forskare är överens om att det bara rör sig om en myt.
Ett av giftämnena i röd flugsvamp heter muskarin. Giftet har en kolinerg effekt på till exempel körtlar och glatt muskulatur.
- - -
Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the fly agaric (pronounced /ˈæɡərɪk/) or fly Amanita (pronounced /ˌæməˈnaɪtə/), is a poisonous and psychoactive basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita.
A fatal dose has been calculated at approximately 15 caps. Deaths from A. muscaria have been reported in historical journal articles and newspaper reports; however, with modern medical treatment a fatal outcome would be extremely rare.
Many older books mistakenly list it as deadly, giving the impression that it is far more toxic than it really is. The North American Mycological Association has stated there are no reliably documented fatalities in the past 100 years.The vast majority (90% or more) of mushroom poisoning deaths are from having eaten either the greenish to yellowish death cap (A. phalloides) or one of the several white Amanita species known as destroying angels.
Vikings
A single source for the notion that Vikings used A. muscaria to produce their berserker rages was first suggested by the Swedish professor Samuel Ödman in 1784.[108] Ödman based his theories on reports about the use of fly agaric among Siberian shamans. The notion has become widespread since the 19th century, but no contemporary sources mention this use or anything similar in their description of berserkers. Today, it is generally considered an urban legend or at best speculation that cannot be proven. Muscimol is generally a mild relaxant, but could create a range of reactions within a range of people.[109] It is possible that it could make a person incredibly angry, as well as make them "very jolly or sad, jump about, dance, sing or give way to great fright"
Jose de Creeft's sculpture Alice in Wonderland in Central Park, New York. Alice sits atop a mushroom, inviting children to climb up and join her. Whilst the mushroom in the sculpture is not a faithfully reproduced Amanita muscaria, the reference within Lewis Carrol's original literary work upon which the sculpture is based is often discussed.
Christmas decorations and Santa Claus
Fly agarics appear on Christmas cards and New Year cards from around the world as a symbol of good luck. The ethnobotanist Jonathan Ott has suggested that the idea of Santa Claus and tradition of hanging stockings over the fireplace is based centrally upon the fly agaric mushroom itself. With its generally red and white color scheme, he argues that Santa Claus's suit is related to the mushroom. He also draws parallels with flying reindeer: reindeer had been reported to consume the mushroom and prance around in an intoxicated manner afterwards.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
276 av 365
It is lovely to look at but do not eat it!
Eftersom dessa lever i symbios med växter tänkte jag att de passar även på,
Blomming Friday
