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Satanic mushroom is a conditionally edible mushroom from the genus Boletus, Boletaceae family. Acceptable names: satanic pain, Tubiporus satanas. The opinions of scientists regarding the fungus are divided. Some consider it poisonous, excluding the possibility of food consumption, others classify the mushroom as an absolutely safe product, which, if properly administered, will enrich the diet and cannot harm a person.
General characteristics
A distinctive feature of a conditionally edible mushroom is its appearance. The hat grows from 6 to 25 centimeters in diameter. Painted in a porous white-gray or light olive shade. The hat is fleshy, dense and quite massive. It develops in the form of a semicircle with clear rounded bulges. The cap surface itself is characterized by a smooth, bare, dry texture. The texture can change depending on the weather: in slush, the surface is overgrown with a thin layer of thick slurry, and in sunlight it becomes smooth and completely dry again.
Mushroom leg dimensions: 4-15×3-6 centimeters. The stem is central, ovoid. It is from this part of the fruiting body that a dangerous mushroom can be identified. It is painted a rich red (with a noticeable yellow tint) and features a pronounced mesh pattern that sticks out on the surface.
Eukaryotic flesh is dense, white in color. The shade of the pulp varies depending on the location: in the leg it is colored pale yellow, at the break it is red, above it it turns blue. The tubular layer of the cap also has a special variety of colors: first yellow, green, red, olive, then blue (turns blue after touching the body of the mushroom). The spore powder is colored in a pale green hue. Spore sizes are 10-16×5-7 microns. The shape of the spores is similar to an elongated elongated spindle. The structure is smooth, the shade is olive. It should be noted the fetid smell of the pulp of “old” eukaryotes, which repels not only from eating the fungus, but also from touching it. Some compare the aroma to the stench of sour foods. The “young” mushrooms have a much more pleasant taste: a light, spicy, barely perceptible mushroom plume. A noticeable contrast to the smell creates the taste of the pulp.
It is strictly forbidden to taste the mushroom raw and is fraught with serious food poisoning.
The taste palette is filled with bright mushroom and barely noticeable sweetish notes.
The representative of the boletaceae grows mainly on carbonate soil. Selects deciduous forests (rarely – mixed) from June to October. Remotely, the satanic mushroom resembles the traditional white mushroom (Boletus edulis). The main difference lies in the shade of the tubular layer and the stem of the fruiting body. Mushroom pickers often do not pay attention to such a nuance and, without realizing it, they test their own body for strength.
The satanic mushroom has a changeable disposition. The mesh pattern changes its color from yellow-green to pink, the hat – from white to rich marsh color. With age, even the spores change their color from honey yellow to a contrasting brown. It is necessary to know such “tricks” and be able to recognize a dangerous product in time.
Ecology and distribution
Eukaryotes do well in deciduous forests, which are fully provided with sunlight. Ultraviolet radiation is one of the main requirements of the fungus for normal development and spread. Most often, a satanic mushroom can be found next to such trees:
- oak;
- hornbeam;
- hazel;
- beech;
- chestnut (exclusively edible);
- Linden.
With these trees, the boletus creates mycorrhiza (fungal root).
Mycorrhiza is a symbiotic fusion of fungal mycelium with the roots of higher plants (in our case, with the trees from the list). There are 3 types of mycorrhiza: endotrophic, ectotrophic and ectoendotrophic.
With ectopeat mycorrhiza, the hyphae of the satanic fungus braid the root of the tree with a dense network. During this fusion, a kind of cover and special mycorrhizal tubes are formed. Boletus gradually penetrates into the tree, but, at the same time, does not spread in the cells.
In endopeat mycorrhiza, tree cells are affected by fungal hyphae. The main feature: penetration occurs through the pores without touching the plasmalemma. The fungus begins to merge with the tree, develop and grow inside the root. In the cells of the tree, whole clusters of fungal hyphae begin to form. They form in the form of balls and gradually branch out within the selected tree. Such ball formations are called arbuscules.
With ectoendomycorrhiza, a combination of signs of two processes occurs. The fungus “settles” in the roots of the host plant and can freely move from one stage of development to another.
For successful mycorrhiza, the fungus chooses calcareous soils of Southern Europe, the southern part of European Russia, the Caucasus, the Middle East and the southern territory of Primorsky Krai.
Economic importance of mycorrhiza
Scientists have learned how to adapt natural biological processes to various areas of human existence. For example, microbiological inoculants (released during mycorrhiza) have found their way into agriculture. They help to increase the yield of many cultivated plants. Due to mycorrhiza, plants receive the maximum concentration of liquid, vitamins and minerals from the soil, which ultimately affects both productivity and yield. Scientists note that after mycorrhiza, the concentration of phosphorus (P) especially increases.
Similar species
The list includes only species of boletus mushrooms (Boletus) with colored pores and flesh that turns blue after contact with the external environment.
Inedible mushrooms are not eaten because of the bitter taste, which is unpleasant for human receptors. Moreover, scientists say that most of them pose a danger to our body and are fraught with serious food poisoning. Inedible varieties of Boletus include:
- Boletus albidus or whitish boletus;
- Boletus calopus or inedible mushroom;
- Boletus rhodoxanthus or rose gold boletus;
- Boletus splendidus or a false variety of the satanic fungus;
- Boletus legaliae or boletus is legal (permissible name is boletus de gal).
This list also includes rare and little-studied varieties of mushrooms, the degree of safety / toxicity of which has not yet been fully studied.
Scientists identify a number of mushrooms, opinions about which differ. Some consider them dangerous and advocate the status of toxic, others collect them themselves in the forests and, with a calm soul, would feed loved ones with a mushroom snack at a family dinner. Conditionally edible varieties of Boletus include:
- Boletus luridus or olive-brown oak (distinguished by a tall pastel brown hat and quickly bluish flesh during contact with the environment);
- Boletus erythopus or mottled oak (distinguished by a rich dark hat, the absence of a pronounced mesh on the stem of the fruiting body and quickly turning blue flesh during contact with the environment).
Degree of eukaryotic toxicity
The issue of nutritional consumption of the satanic mushroom is still not finally resolved. But scientists nevertheless came to one unanimous opinion: in its raw form, boletus is incredibly dangerous and toxic. According to scientific research, a small piece of pulp, whose weight does not exceed 1 gram, contains a high concentration of poison. It can cause severe digestive upset, in which some patients will require hospitalization.
Scientists are divided into two groups: some believe that the concentration of the poison decreases to a conditionally safe after prolonged cooking, others argue that toxins do not go anywhere and even after heat treatment they can harm a person.
Is it possible to eat a satanic mushroom in food
European countries like the Czech Republic and France have recognized the satanic boletus as conditionally edible, regulate its collection and allow their citizens to eat the desired product. But not everyone approves of such a policy. For example, the author of the book “Mushrooms” (Le grand livre des Champignons), Gerard Houdou, describes Tubiporus satanas as a health-threatening component that leads not only to food poisoning, but also death. Italian reference books also classify the satan mushroom as a toxic food that should not be eaten under any circumstances. The Italians are inclined to believe that heat treatment does not affect the degree of toxicity, so they introduced a ban on the collection and use of mushrooms.
Given such an ambiguous opinion of the scientific community, it is better to refuse the use of the satanic mushroom. Even prolonged heat treatment for 10 hours or more cannot give absolute guarantees and provide maximum protection for the human body. Do not sacrifice your own health and the condition of your loved ones.
The World Health Organization claims that 10 grams of the pulp of a satanic mushroom may well cause the death of an adult healthy person. The cause of death lies in cardiac arrest and paralysis of the nervous system. Exposure to harmful components from eukaryotes can lead to suffocation, as the respiratory organs simply cannot function normally.
Do not conduct dangerous experiments and eat only those mushrooms that are officially allowed, considered edible and absolutely safe for health. But do not lose vigilance and check the quality of the consumed product, even in supermarkets with packaged products. Check the name of the mushroom, its quality certificate, expiration date, smell and appearance. Remember that you can get poisoned not only by conditionally edible, but also by ordinary mushrooms, which we see daily on store shelves.
First aid for mushroom poisoning
Signs of mushroom poisoning
The first signs of poisoning may appear more than 2 hours after ingestion. Be vigilant and do not ignore dangerous symptoms.
The first obvious symptoms are nausea and vomiting. Do not rush to turn off – this is not overeating, but rather check the pulse / temperature to make sure the cause of the ailment. After poisoning, a weak pulse and a sharp increase in body temperature are recorded in a person. After some time, a decrease in efficiency begins, a feeling of cold in the limbs, sharp pains in the abdomen.
Poisoning can provoke an exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which were in remission.
Severe pain in the abdomen alternately replaced by diarrhea. In especially severe cases, a person will have to visit the toilet more than 15 times a day.
When poisoned by excessively toxic products (like a satanic mushroom), a person may develop delirium, hallucinations, and a state bordering on insanity. Moreover, a toxic fungus can cause the development of a serious disease – botulism. The disease is fraught with permanent headache, difficulty in swallowing, blurred vision, dry mouth, persistent nausea and vomiting, impaired stool and frequent convulsions.
If such symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor in order to get timely help and prevent the infection from spreading throughout the body.
First aid
First aid for mushroom poisoning consists of a complex of the simplest possible manipulations. The first rule is to call the doctor. The faster you do this, the less you will have to writhe in pain and endure unpleasant changes inside your own body. There is no need to be heroic and go to the hospital on your own. It is better to observe bed rest and try to relax as much as possible until the ambulance arrives. Take a comfortable lying position, drink activated charcoal and try to consume as much healthy liquid as possible (filtered cold water, cold strong tea). If all actions are performed correctly and in a timely manner, then the competent actions of the doctor will put you on your feet the very next day.
If the fungus was excessively toxic, then the treatment can be delayed for several days and even weeks. Take care of yourself and be as careful as possible in your daily gastronomic journey.