Amanita muscaria: Ecology, Chemistry, Myths
Encyclopedia September 2, 2021 Quentin Carboué, Michel Lopez 23 citations
Amanita muscaria, the most iconic mushroom in popular culture, is an ectomycorrhizal fungus native to cold northern hemisphere ecosystems. Its basidiocarp contains isoxazole compounds that act on the central nervous system to produce hallucinations, making it a significant entheogen in various cultures. Remnants of its use persist in modern European traditions. In Siberian civilizations, it was consumed for religious and recreational purposes for millennia, serving as the only inebriant available in the region.