The death cap is California’s most notable poisonous mushroom. While it’s safe to touch and smell, the death cap causes severe poisonings each year, some deadly, when people misidentify and then eat them. Learning how to positively identify mushrooms, especially poisonous ones, can prevent potential poisonings. We learned from Dr. Melina Kozanitas, a postdoctoral researcher who studies fire, plant pathogens, and mycology, how to pick out the characteristics of Amanita phalloides—the death cap.

Produced by Chelsea Wood and Isabel Fischer

Special Thanks to

Dr. Melina Kozanitas

Osborn Preserve & Center for Environmental Inquiry

Kerry Wininger 

Makayla Freed 

Raquel Guevara-Bolaños 

Jesica Rodriguez 

Sage Harmon 

Roxane Grechman 

Adrienne Grechman 

Nikki Zecerri 

Ellyse Cappellano 

Victoria Brunal 

Emily Ledford 

Hale Garcia-Dean 

Jess Schmieg 

Tiffany Ko 

John Skanscomiz