A brown-capped Amanita densely dotted with white warts, with a lined margin, a ring, and a bulb topped by a distinctive rolled collar of volval tissue. It is a poisonous European and western Asian species containing ibotenic acid and muscimol, and is considered more toxic than the fly agaric. North American 'panthers' are now treated as different species.
Poisonous; potentially fatal if untreated. It contains ibotenic acid and muscimol, which cause nausea, vomiting, confusion, delirium, hallucinations and unconsciousness, usually within 1-3 hours. It is considered more toxic than Amanita muscaria. Its psychoactive effects are documented, and the legal status of these compounds varies by jurisdiction. Full safety details in notes.
Never eat a wild mushroom based on a web page — confirm with an expert.
Habitat
Ectomycorrhizal, mainly with beech and other broadleaf trees, less often with conifers, rarely in meadows. Late summer and autumn.
Distribution
Europe and western Asia; recorded from South Africa, probably introduced with planted trees. Records of A. pantherina from North America are mostly other species: the western dark brown panther (A. pantherinoides or 'A. pantherina sensu auct. Amer.') and eastern species such as A. multisquamosa and A. velatipes. Treat North American 'pantherina' records as unconfirmed for the European species.
Characteristics
Cap: 5-18 cm, hemispherical becoming convex to nearly flat; deep brown to hazel brown; densely covered with small white to cream warts; sticky when wet; margin shortly lined. Gills: free or narrowly attached, white, becoming grayish. Stem: 5-15 cm long, 0.6-3 cm thick, white, stuffed then hollow; with one or two hoop-like volval rings above the bulb and a collar-like roll of volval tissue at the top of the bulb. Ring: present on the upper stem. Flesh: white, not changing; odor unpleasant or like raw potato. Spore print: white. Spores: 8-14 x 6-10 um, ellipsoid to elongate, smooth, inamyloid.
