The Destroying Angel, or
Amanita virosa is one of the most
poisonous
mushrooms on Earth. It is entirely white, with a large, flat cap about 12cm across and a scaly stem. It grows in woodland areas in summer and autumn. It smells (according to books) "
sweet and sickly."
Symptoms of poisoning develop slowly, 8-24 hours after eating, and include vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive thirst, sweating and convulsions. The victim experiences apparent recovery after one day, then a relapse and, in 90% of cases, death from liver failure in 2-10 days.
There is no known antidote.