Dr. David Walde, a retired physician with a career in internal medicine, oncology, and hematology, has maintained a lifelong interest in fungi. After moving to Vancouver Island, he became active with the South Vancouver Island Mycological Association and now serves on the Medicinal Mushroom Committee of the North American Mycological Association.
Title: The Amanitas: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Few mushroom genera inspire as much fascination or respect as Amanita.
With their striking forms and remarkable chemical diversity, Amanita species range from the familiar and culturally iconic Amanita muscaria, to edible species, and to some of the most dangerous mushrooms in the world. They are responsible for the great majority of deaths from mushroom poisoning.
Dr. David Walde’s upcoming presentation will explore this extraordinary genus from a somewhat different perspective. Rather than suggesting that collectors try to memorize every species in the genus, Dr. Walde proposes that we examine the major groups within Amanita, the toxins that distinguish them, and the very different poisoning syndromes they can produce. Understanding the relationship between identification, chemistry, and clinical symptoms adds a fresh dimension to our field observations. Three of our local species, A. muscaria, A. phalloides, and A. smithiana, provide particularly striking examples.
