BALLARAT residents have been urged to look out for toxic mushrooms in the region.
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Following a recent Canberra report about the poisonous toadstool known as the death cap, The Courier nature writer, Roger Thomas, said it was timely to warn of the dangers of consuming mushroom-like fungi.
Mr Thomas said although he was unaware of the death cap toadstool in the Ballarat region, the yellow-stainer mushroom was common.
“(The yellow-stainer) can make some people seriously ill,” Mr Thomas said.
“Mushrooms found in the North Gardens, near Lake Wendouree, are a yellow-staining mushroom and look similar to the edible field mushroom.
“However, the difference is the yellow stain produced when scratching the surface of the cap.
“This stain occurs within a few seconds of scratching or bruising. A snapped stem also turns yellow almost immediately.”
Mr Thomas said some people who ate the yellow-stainer might suffer serious gastro-intestinal symptoms.
“Care should be taken to wash hands after handling suspect mushrooms,” he said.