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Galerina Bolotnaya (Galerina paludosa) is an inedible mushroom that belongs to the Hymenogaster family. The representative is difficult to confuse with mushrooms due to the long thread-like stem, but inexperienced mushroom pickers can make a mistake. It’s best to know what this look looks like so you don’t accidentally put it in your shopping cart. Other names are Agrocybe elatella, Hebeloma elatellum, Tubaria paludosa.
What does the Bolotnaya gallery look like?
The convex hat of the young Galerina Bolotnaya has the shape of a bell. With age, it becomes almost flat, but never grows more than 3 cm in diameter. A pointed tubercle is preserved in the central part of the cap; a thin light border often runs along the edge. The color of the cap surface varies from yellow to light brown depending on age and weather.
When it rains, Galerina Bolotnaya absorbs moisture like a sponge. The flesh of the cap consists of a loose weave of hyphae, which is why it swells from moisture, becomes slightly transparent. Under it are rare plates adhering to the stem, in young specimens they have a light brown color, darkening with age.
The filamentous leg of the Bolotnaya galerina has a light yellow color, it is covered with a powdery coating, which is easily erased from contact with the fingers. There is a noticeable white ring in the upper part. The length of the leg is from 8 to 13 cm, and the thickness is only 0,1-0,4 cm. The thin and brittle flesh is colored in the same way as the cap. The smell of the fungus is weak.
Where does Galerina Bolotnaya grow?
You can find the Bolotnaya gallery from the end of June to October in a swampy area. It is found in mixed, deciduous and coniferous forests, prefers moist soil overgrown with sphagnum moss. Galerina Bolotnaya grows singly, sometimes found in groups, but individual specimens never have one base like mushrooms.
Is it possible to eat Galerina Bolotnaya
It is impossible to eat Galerina Bolotnaya. It, like a pale toadstool, contains dangerous toxins – amanitins and phalloidins. These are potent toxic substances that, when ingested, destroy the stomach, kidneys and liver. The impact is slow. Toxins are easily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, and begin their destructive work.
During heat treatment, toxic substances are not destroyed. They are preserved in fruits after drying, pickling, freezing and salting. One Galerina Bolotnaya, caught in a mass of edible mushrooms, will make the entire workpiece unfit for consumption.
Symptoms of poisoning
The first signs of poisoning with Galerina Bolotnaya appear after about 6-30 hours. If help is not provided to the victim, weakness will increase, the liver will noticeably increase, jaundice and nephropathy will begin.
Poisoning manifests itself in stages, the severity of the lesion and its outcome depends on the dose of poison received and the state of the body. At first, the poison acts secretly, the latent period after eating is an average of 12 hours.
At the second stage of poisoning, the duration of which is from two to six days, the condition of the victim deteriorates sharply. Diarrhea with blood begins, severe vomiting, unquenchable thirst, sharp pains in the stomach and liver, convulsions. Vision worsens and urination is difficult, the skin turns pale.
The third stage of poisoning is the saddest, it lasts about a day. The victim feels imaginary relief, and seems to be on the mend. In fact, the liver, having undergone irreversible changes, will soon fail and death will occur. But if the dose of poison was small, and medical assistance was provided, a favorable outcome is possible.
First aid for poisoning
At the first sign of poisoning, an ambulance should be called immediately. In order for the outcome to be favorable, an appeal to doctors should take place no later than 36 hours after eating the mushrooms.
When amanitin enters the body, irreversible destruction occurs, therefore, at the first suspicion of poisoning, you should try to clear the stomach. To do this, they drink a lot of liquid, and induce vomiting by pressing on the root of the tongue.
Conclusion
Galerina Bolotnaya is considered poisonous. It should not be confused with honey mushrooms and other edible mushrooms, a mistake can be very expensive. At the slightest doubt about edibility, it is better to leave suspicious forest fruits to grow where they were found. It will be difficult to provide first aid in case of poisoning, since the poison is very quickly absorbed by the body, and produces irreversible destruction in it.
