Eastern North American destroying angel Amanita bisporigera

Amanita bisporigera (or Death Angel) is a deadly, two-spored species of fungus and is a smaller species than its equally deadly cousin, A. virosa. The effects of eating this fungus include a lag period following initial symptoms, which can lull the patient into a false sense of security.

The fungus can be found singly or in groups on the ground in mixed oak-hardwood forests of eastern North America and Mexico, in cultivated landscapes. While rare in western North America, it is widely distributed on the east coast and Mexico and is the most commonly encountered poisonous mushroom. The mushroom cap can grow to 4 inches across and is white and smooth, with a center that becomes a dull tan with age. The gills are white, not attached to the stalk, and close. The stalk is white, cottony to somewhat pearly, and sometimes with a bulbous base. The annulus is white, large, flaring, persistent, and is located at the top of the stalk, cup-like sheath (volva) at the base of the stalk, and white. The spore print is white.