Edible when cooked, poisonous if eaten raw.
Echinocephalus is from the Greek, meaning "with a head like a hedgehog"
When bruised the flesh smells slightly of radish.
Can be confused with the poisonous Amanita Pantherina.
The best known toadstool, often illustrated in children's books. Only fatal if ingested in massive amounts but the presence of muscimol causes psychotropic poisoning similar to alcoholic intoxication, and can lead to coma in extreme circumstances. Subject of much ancient mythology and said to be used by the 'Soma' of Hinduism. It was once used in Scandinavia for religious purposes but is now used for herding reindeer, the Vikings were reputed to consume large quantities of fly agarics so as to send them into a state of madness, they were known as the berserkers. The Siberian tribes of northeast Siberia still to this date use the fly agaric mushroom in their shamanic rituals, as do a few Native American tribes. The modern day Santa with all the red and white, flying reindeers, etc., etc. have strong similiarities with the fly agaric... even the coming down a chimney part.
