Every adult knows that among mushrooms there are deadly poisonous species. Thousands of people die from poisoning every year. Such dangerous mushrooms grow on all continents except Antarctica. Introducing titles and descriptions poisonous mushrooms. Of course, it is impossible to list them all in one article. Therefore, we will only talk about the most dangerous ones found in Russia.

Death cap

Number one in the world among the most poisonous plants is a mushroom that is ubiquitous in Russian forests, meadows and pastures. This is a pale grebe. Agree, even in its name there is something unpleasant and repulsive. But in appearance it is quite cute, depending on its age, it is very similar to champignons, russula or greenfinches. Inexperienced lovers of quiet hunting are happy to fill their baskets with toadstools, because these mushrooms even smell pleasant and tasty.

Having barely hatched from the ground, young pale grebes have a clearly visible vulva (protective film) and a white ovoid body. With age, they acquire a white, greenish or grayish cap. It can be slightly concave or flat. The diameter of the cap reaches 15 cm. The stem of the mushroom has a white “skirt” at the top, and is thicker closer to the ground. It can grow up to 16 cm in length (usually about 6-7 cm), and 15-25 mm in width. The flesh of the toadstool is white and tastes sweet. It contains large quantities of poisons such as amanitins, phalloidins and amanin. To die, you only need to eat a quarter of a cap.

Poisoning

This deadly poisonous mushroom is dangerous not only because it looks like an edible one. Its insidiousness lies in the fact that the first signs of poisoning (uncontrollable vomiting, bloody diarrhea, severe pain in the peritoneum and muscles, heart failure, hypotension, threadlike pulse) appear only a day or two after eating toadstool, when the liver and kidneys are already heavily damaged. Another unpleasant nuance of poisoning is that on the 4th day there may be an unexpected improvement in the condition, which sometimes lasts for several days. After this comes death. Lethal outcome from poisoning with pale toadstools is recorded in 99% of cases.

Fly agarics

We put these mushrooms in second position because some of them are deadly poisonous. Many people imagine him as a real handsome man with a red hat with white dots. In fact, fly agaric is not one mushroom, but an entire genus, numbering about three dozen species. Among them there are the following groups:

  • Edible and even delicacy (fly agaric imperial and caesar mushroom).
  • Conditionally edible (float or fly agaric Sicilian, ovoid, solitary, gray-pink).
  • Simply inedible, although not poisonous (fly agaric, yellow-green, bristly, spiny-headed, gray, purple, knobby, thick and others).
  • Toxic. To be fatally poisoned, you need to eat a lot of them, but in moderation they are hallucinogenic. This is the well-known fly agaric with a red cap with white speckles. It is widely used in medicine, as a medicine, for example, against cancer, and in everyday life for baiting insects. Hence its name.

But there are also unusually dangerous species in the genus. There aren't many of them. The list of poisonous mushrooms includes royal fly agaric (not to be confused with imperial), spring (or white), stinking (or stinking toadstool) and panther. Each of them contains the poisons muscarine, muscaridine, and some additionally contain hyoscyamine and scopolamine. Poisoning with these fly agarics is fatal in 9 out of 10 cases.

Short description

I would like to warn you that only those who are perfectly versed in them can collect fly agarics for food, because in many ways the “bad” and “good” species are quite similar.

Let's talk about the characteristics of poisonous representatives.

Outwardly, it looks a little like the red fly agaric, only its cap can be gray, brownish, greenish, or light brown. Along its edges there are often flakes hanging from the bedspread. The pulp is white and does not change color in the air. Its consistency is slightly watery, foul-smelling, and sweetish in taste. The leg is most often thicker at the bottom, slightly fleecy, and has a white ring-shaped rim at the bottom. Some specimens have a white, fragile ring on it.

  • Royal fly agaric. This is a real giant, reaching 20 cm in height. The diameter of the cap can also be about 20 cm. This mushroom is hard to miss. Its cap can be ocher, brown or greenish, and its shape is flat, spherical or depressed in the center, with radial stripes. On top it is covered with white “dots” (remnants of the bedspread). The pulp ranges from light yellow to brown, odorless. The leg is thick, whitish, thickened downward, velvety, and has several belts. A distinctive feature from the imperial fly agaric is that the cap of the latter is bright orange or ocher, without white dots.

False honey mushrooms

This is also not one mushroom, but a whole group, which includes edible, conditionally edible, toxic (not fatal) and very poisonous. Outwardly, they are all similar to ordinary honey mushrooms - small in size, grow in a friendly family on stumps and old logs, have relatively long legs and bell-shaped or semicircular caps. You can distinguish “good” mushrooms from “bad” ones by their color.

Let's consider especially dangerous types:

Galerina can be safely called one of the most poisonous mushrooms in the world, since poisoning with it is fatal in 90% of cases. This false honey fungus can grow either in a family or alone. It has a convex cap up to 4 cm in diameter, a long stem (up to 7-10 cm). The color of the cap can be from pale yellow to brown-orange, and it changes depending on the humidity. The outside of the cap is almost always oily or covered with sticky mucus. The pulp is white or light brown, with the smell of flour. It contains deadly poisons amitoxins.

  • False honey is brick-red. It is distinguished from the previous type by the color of the cap, which is most often rich brick. But there are specimens with orange, yellow and even white caps. In principle, this species is conditionally edible. In all cases of poisoning, brick-red false honey fungus is indicated erroneously instead of gray-yellow.

Pig

Pig mushrooms were included in the list of poisonous mushrooms only in 1944. Before this, they were considered conditionally edible. The fact is that they contain a special antigen that sticks to our red blood cells, thereby causing an autoimmune response in the body. As a result, a person develops hemolytic anemia, renal failure, and nephropathy. For this to happen, pigs need to be eaten for a long time (until their antigens accumulate in sufficient quantities).

Many people, having eaten them once, do not experience any painful symptoms, so no one associates the death with the pig. Death most often occurs in children and people with kidney problems. Externally, the mushroom is quite nice and very similar to a good one. It has a thick short leg, a fleshy large cap (up to 15 cm in diameter), which can be slightly convex or flat. Its color varies from olive-brown to rusty-brown. The pulp at the site of damage (pressure) quickly darkens. You can often see worms and insects in it. Using the example of a pig, we can say that the signs of poisonous mushrooms do not always work. If you focus only on whether the caps are wormy or not, you can make a fatal mistake.

Omphalote olive

This plant is considered by some to be one of the most poisonous mushrooms in the world, because symptoms of poisoning (vomiting, diarrhea, salivation, sweating, irregular pulse, blurred vision and breathing) occur within 15 minutes after eating. However, it rarely ends in death. Usually the victim’s health is restored within a day.

On the territory of Russia, olive omphalot is found in Crimea. Outwardly, it looks a little like tinder mushrooms. Grows on stumps, logs, trunks of deciduous trees. Its leg is very short (up to 3 cm), but can be barely noticeable. The cap reaches a diameter of 12 cm. It is smooth to the touch, less often finely scaly. Its color is always orange with the addition of red or yellow. Distinctive feature olive omphalot - its plates glow in the dark.

Gindellum Peca

Each country has many of its own poisonous mushrooms. Of interest is the species Gindellum Peck, named after the scientist - mycologist. In Russia, it is extremely rare in Crimea and the Caucasus.

Many consider it the most poisonous mushroom in the world and even attribute mystical properties to it, because it is capable of secreting a red liquid similar to blood. Due to this, it is called the bloody mushroom or bloody tooth. In fact, Gindellum Peca is not poisonous. Some people have it after careful culinary processing are eaten. But there are few of these, since its pulp is very bitter.

Features

Of course, it is important to know how to distinguish poisonous mushrooms. Externally, they can be very similar to edible ones (for example, false fox, burning russula, greenfinch). Only experienced mushroom pickers can recognize them. Pale toadstool is distinguished from champignon by the color of the plates, which are white in the poisonous mushroom and dark in the champignon. The flesh of the toadstool is not as brittle as that of the russula, and the greenfinch, unlike the toadstool, does not have a vulva. External differences other types of mushrooms may be different. What they have in common is that poisonous species are never worm-like. Some “cooks” test toxicity using an onion. To do this, place it and the mushrooms in a container of water. If the bulb has darkened, then the contents of the container should be thrown away. Please note that these comparisons and experiments can be fatal. Therefore, it is better to avoid questionable mushrooms.

Some animals have the amazing ability to kill using toxic substances. chemical compounds, or poison. This method is considered one of the most cowardly, insidious and effective. In this article, you will discover 11 poisonous animals in the world that can easily kill an adult.

There are "passively" venomous animals (which transmit their venom by being eaten or attacked by other animals) and "actively" venomous (they inject venom into their victims using stingers, fangs or other devices.

The most poisonous amphibian: The terrible leaf climber

It lives only in the tropical rainforests of western Colombia. The poison of one frog can kill from 10 to 20 people. (Only one type of snake Liophis epinephelus, is resistant to the poison of the terrible leaf climber, however, if exposed to a sufficiently large amount of toxin, the reptile may die).

Interestingly, the terrible leaf climber produces its poison from its diet of native ants and beetles; individuals kept in captivity and feeding on fruit flies and other common insects are completely harmless.

Most poisonous spider: Brazilian wandering spider

If you suffer from arachnophobia (fear of spiders), there is good and bad news for you about the Brazilian wandering spider. Good news is that these spiders live in the tropics South America, and do not always inject a full dose of poison during a bite, and also rarely attack people; The even better news is that an effective antidote (if administered quickly) can prevent death. The bad news is that the spider's venom contains powerful neurotoxins that slowly paralyze and suffocate its victims, even in microscopic doses.

Men bitten by Brazilian wandering spiders often experience painful erections.

Most Poisonous Snake: McCoy's Taipan

The venom of this Australian snake is the most powerful among land snakes. Toxic substances contained in one individual can kill hundreds of adults. (Its venom consists of neurotoxins, hemotoxins, mycotoxins, and nephrotoxins. This means it can dissolve your blood, brain, muscles, and kidneys before you hit the ground.) Fortunately, this venomous snake rarely comes into contact with humans. and even when this happens (if you know how to interact with her), she becomes quite meek and easily tamed.

The most poisonous fish: Wart

This fish lives in shallow waters in the South Pacific Ocean. It looks ominously like a rock or piece of coral (the camouflage is meant to ward off predators) and if stepped on, the wart injects a powerful dose of toxins into the person's foot.

Australian authorities are actively replenishing supplies of antidotes, so there is a high probability of saving lives (provided that the antidote is administered in a timely manner).

Most Poisonous Insect: Maricopa Ant

Maricopa Ants ( Pogonomyrmex maricopa) quite dangerous insects. About 300 bites of these ants can cause death in an adult. Their venom is much stronger than that of hornets and honey bees. One bite of such an ant causes acute pain that lasts about 4 hours.

Fortunately, it is virtually impossible to accidentally step on a Maricopa ant colony and end up getting stung by hundreds; These insects are known to build nests with a diameter of about 9 m and a height of up to 2 m!

The most poisonous jellyfish: Sea wasp

Box jellyfish (jellyfish characterized by a rectangular bell shape) are by far the most dangerous invertebrate animals in the world, and the sea wasp ( Chironex fleckeri) is considered the most poisonous species of jellyfish on the planet. The tentacles of the sea wasp are covered with nematocytes - stinging cells, which, upon contact, cause burns.

Most people who come into contact with a sea wasp's tentacles experience excruciating pain, but a close encounter with this species can kill you in five minutes.

Most poisonous mammal: Platypus

Of course, platypus venom will not cause death to a person, but it will cause severe pain and swelling. Its poison is capable of killing small animals. On the hind limbs of males there are spurs (about 15 mm long) that contain poison. Most often, males use these spurs to fight each other during the breeding season.

Other venomous mammals include: 3 species from the shrew family and the Cuban slittooth ( Solenodon cubanus).

The most poisonous mollusk: Marble cone

If you've never used the phrase "predatory sea snail," then you clearly don't know enough about the sea creatures that can kill you with a single bite. This mollusk is capable of paralyzing its prey (including other snails of the genus Conus) using a toxic poison that can easily kill an unwary person.

Unfortunately, no one has ever calculated how much poison can harm an adult.

Most poisonous bird: Bicolored blackbird flycatcher

The bicolored blackbird flycatcher from New Guinea contains a powerful poison called batrachotoxin. It is found in the skin and feathers of birds and can cause mild numbness and tingling in humans, but is much more dangerous for small animals. (Apparently, thrush flycatchers synthesize poison from beetles that are part of their diet (these beetles are also part of the diet of dart frogs).

Another well-known poisonous bird is the common quail, the meat of which (if the bird has consumed a plant of a certain species) can lead to a non-fatal disease for humans called coturnism.

Most poisonous octopus: Blue-ringed octopus

Blue-ringed octopuses live in Indian and Pacific Oceans and have rather modest sizes (the largest individuals rarely exceed 20 cm). Their bite is almost painless, but the venom causes paralysis and can kill an adult within just a few minutes.

There is currently no antidote for blue-ringed octopus bites.

Most poisonous turtle: Hawksbill

Unlike some of the other animals on this list, the hawksbill turtle is not miniature: adults weigh about 80 kg, about the same as the average person. These turtles are distributed throughout the world, and individuals from South-East Asia who eat toxic algae have poisonous meat that can cause poisoning in humans (symptoms of poisoning: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and other intestinal ailments).

These turtles are endangered and protected by law.

Mushrooms are a nutritious and very tasty delicacy. But many of them are poisonous. You should always remember this when going on a “silent hunt”. In this article we will talk in detail about one of the most insidious and Where does the toadstool grow? How does she look? And how not to confuse it with other edible mushrooms? About everything - in the review.

Pale grebe: description and photo of the mushroom

This is one of the most dangerous mushrooms on the planet. Just one piece eaten can be enough to cause death. According to historians, it was the toadstool that poisoned the Roman Emperor Claudius and Pope Clement VII. What’s worst is that poisoning can occur even with the slightest contact of the poison of this mushroom with the mucous membranes of a person.

The mushroom pale toadstool (in Latin: Amanita phalloides) is the closest relative of the fly agaric. People often call it that: “white fly agaric.” The poison of the mushroom is incredibly strong in its effects. And if the well-known red fly agaric can be eaten after a certain heat treatment, then it is simply impossible to extract all the toxins from the toadstool.

Pale toadstool is a classic cap mushroom, in at a young age having an ovoid shape. The diameter of the cap is from 5 to 15 centimeters in diameter, the height of the stem is 8-16 cm. The mushroom received its name from the pale tint of the fruiting body. Its closest “relatives” are the spring fly agaric and the white toadstool.

What does a mushroom look like?

Mushroom pickers have no room for error. Therefore, they must learn to completely distinguish the pale grebe from any other species. Let's find out in more detail what this mushroom looks like.

The fruiting body of the toadstool is entirely covered with a thin film. The flesh of the mushroom is white, fleshy, it practically does not change its color when damaged. The color of the cap varies from light gray to olive or slightly greenish. However, with age it always acquires a grayish tint. The leg has a standard cylindrical shape with a slight thickening at the base. In its upper part there is a characteristic leathery ring.

In adulthood, the pale grebe can exude a sweetish and not very pleasant odor. The fruiting body of the mushroom contains various poisons. They are divided into two groups: aggressive, but slowly acting amatoxins and fast-acting, but less toxic phallotoxins.

Distribution of the fungus in nature

In what places does the toadstool grow? Where should you expect to encounter this insidious mushroom?

Toadstools are found quite often in nature. Their main distribution area is the temperate zone of Eurasia (in particular, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine) and North America. They grow both singly and in groups. The growing season begins around the end of August and lasts until the beginning of November (until the first serious frost).

The pallid grebe prefers mixed or light deciduous forests, ideally broad-leaved ones. He likes to “settle” under beeches, hornbeams, oaks, lindens, and hazel bushes. Often found in city parks and squares. Sometimes lives in birch groves. But meeting her in a pine forest is very difficult. The grebe does not tolerate sandy substrates, preferring fertile humus soils.

Edible toadstool look-alikes

Almost anyone edible mushroom Nature has its own poisonous counterpart. It is important for both experienced and novice mushroom pickers to thoroughly understand this truth. The list of mushrooms similar to toadstool is quite long. Thus, in central Russia it is most often confused with forest champignon, green russula, floaters and greenfinch.

Extremely important! You cannot cut the mushroom directly under the cap. After all, in this way you can not notice the membranous ring, which is characteristic of the pale toadstool. By the way, this is how pieces of poisonous mushrooms most often end up in mushroom pickers’ baskets.

Another helpful advice: after returning from a quiet hunt, sort the collected “harvest”. Should be laid out in even rows individual species mushrooms: chanterelles, boletus, russula, etc. Thanks to this, you can easily identify the poisonous double - it will immediately catch your eye. And if you find a toadstool, you will have to get rid of the entire basket, since the poison may remain on other edible mushrooms.

One more extreme important rule: If you have even the slightest doubt about a particular mushroom, do not cut it at all.

Toadstool and champignon: how to distinguish?

How to distinguish a forest champignon from a toadstool? This task is not an easy one. Therefore, many mushroom pickers do not risk picking champignons in the forest. The table below will help you understand this issue.

Young individuals of these two mushrooms are incredibly difficult to distinguish from each other. Only mushroom pickers with extensive experience in quiet hunting can do this. For comparison: the photo below shows young toadstool mushrooms (on the left) and wild champignon mushrooms (on the right).

Russula and toadstool: how to distinguish?

Experienced mushroom pickers strongly advise collecting only pink, orange or red russula. So you definitely won't go wrong. The following table will help you distinguish green russula from poisonous toadstool.

For comparison: the photo below shows a toadstool (left) and (right).

Toadstool poisoning: main symptoms

This mushroom, perhaps, can safely be called the most poisonous on the planet. To put a healthy and healthy person into a hospital bed strong man, just thirty grams of toadstool is enough. Signs of poisoning by this mushroom (main):

  • Intense profuse vomiting.
  • Intestinal colic.
  • Pain and spasms in muscles.
  • Intense thirst.
  • Weak thready pulse.
  • Low blood pressure.
  • Bloody diarrhea.

Poisoning with toadstool is almost always accompanied by an enlarged liver, as well as a sharp decrease in blood glucose levels. The latent period lasts on average about 12 hours.

The main danger of toadstool poisoning lies in the so-called period of imaginary recovery, which begins on the third day. At this time the patient feels much better, but in fact the process of destruction internal organs(liver and kidney) continues. Death usually occurs within ten days from the moment of poisoning. At the same time, the likelihood of death increases significantly in people with weak cardiovascular system.

What to do if you are poisoned by toadstool?

If treatment was started no later than 36 hours from the moment of poisoning, then the chances of a successful recovery are quite high. At the slightest suspicion of poisoning with toadstool, you should immediately take only three actions:

  • Call an ambulance.
  • Empty the stomach by inducing vomiting.
  • Take activated carbon (dose: 1 gram per kilogram of weight).

  • Take something that increases blood circulation.
  • Drink alcoholic beverages.
  • Do even minimal physical activity.

The treatment process is quite difficult, since there is no suitable antidote as such. For toadstool poisoning, doctors use benzyl penicillin, as well as lipoic acid. At the same time, forced diuresis, hemosorption are carried out, a glucose drip is placed, and heart medications are prescribed. The overall result of treatment will depend on the dose of poison entering the blood and the general condition of the body.

5 common myths about the “white fly agaric”

There are many myths and false information circulating in society about the pale grebe. Knowing the true information will help you protect yourself. So let's list them:

  • Myth 1: Toadstool tastes bad. Actually this is not true! It is quite tender, tasty and absolutely not bitter. It is almost impossible to distinguish a poisonous mushroom by taste.
  • Myth 2: “white fly agaric” smells bad. In reality, the smell is one of the similarities between toadstool and champignon. Both mushrooms exude an innocent, rather pleasant aroma.
  • Myth 3: Small insects and worms do not eat this mushroom. In fact, some of them are not at all averse to eating this unsafe delicacy.
  • Myth 4: Toadstool can be detoxified by boiling it in salt water and vinegar. Absolute lie!
  • Myth 5: Garlic cloves will turn brown if you throw them into a pan in which toadstools are cooked. Not true again. Garlic changes its color under the influence of tyrosinase, an enzyme that can be found in any mushroom, both edible and poisonous.

The benefits of “white fly agaric”

Strange as it may sound, toadstool can also bring some benefits to humans. Thus, in very small (homeopathic) doses, it serves as an antidote in case of poisoning with other poisonous mushrooms. Toadstool is also used to control certain pests and insects. In folk medicine, tinctures from this mushroom are used as a cure for cancer. Subcutaneous injections with microdoses of the toxin are practiced to combat wrinkles.

However, the danger of the toadstool is many times greater than the potential benefit it can bring to humans. Therefore, it is better to remember what this mushroom looks like and stay as far away from it in the forest as possible.

Everyone should know about this! All about the most poisonous plants - those grown culturally, for medicinal purposes, wild and indoor plants, mushrooms and trees.

Poisonous indoor plants

You need to know the enemy by sight, as they say. If you came to a garden store to choose a new green pet, or a friend suggested plucking off a sprout, it is worth checking in advance whether the new plant will harm you or your pets, especially animals and children.

For example, all plants of the euphorbia, araceae, and amaryllis families have dangerous juice that causes burns on the skin, and if ingested, quite severe poisoning follows - the gastrointestinal tract, mucous membranes, and even the nervous system are damaged.

Potential indoor poisoners include such popular plants as poinsettia, dieffenbachia, monstera, philodendron, beautiful callas, and even tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils! If their juice gets on your skin, you need to immediately wash your hands, and even though you very carefully cut and formed a bouquet, you should not touch your eyes with the same hands.

In some plants, for example, nightshade or kutraceae, only some parts are poisonous, as luck would have it, the most attractive to unintelligent children (bright fruits, sometimes tubers). Therefore, you should not keep such flowers in the public domain.


However, life-threatening representatives of the flora await us almost everywhere: in the forest, in the meadow, and in the middle zone there are no less of them than in the exotic jungle. Take the same quiet hunt or gathering medicinal herbs: everywhere you need to know which mushroom or flower is best to avoid.

The most poisonous mushrooms

The most famous poisonous representative of the mushroom world is, of course, the toadstool, an indispensable ingredient in Baba Yaga’s potion and a one hundred percent guarantee of being sent to the next world if it accidentally gets into a mushroom picker’s frying pan. The poison contained in the toadstool is resistant to heat, and it also does not disappear from the dried toadstool, so they cannot be eaten in any form. Features- white plates and a characteristic skirt. Champignons, with which toadstool is confused, also have a skirt, but the plates are dark. Even in toadstools, the leg grows as if from a sac, although this sign is not so accurate - Bottom part the legs are sometimes hidden in the soil.


Also, various fly agarics are confused with champignons - not bright red ones, but panther ones or smelly ones. If the brown panther fly agaric most often does not lead to the death of an unlucky taster, then the white stinking fly agaric is almost as poisonous as the pale grebe.

The next deadly poisonous mushrooms - galerinas - are disguised as honey mushrooms. They also grow on stumps, of the same color. Only experienced mushroom pickers can tell the difference right away. Moreover, these are not false honey mushrooms: they are also poisonous, but differ in the shape of the cap.


The most insidious mushroom poisoner is called the “beautiful cobweb”. Having accidentally slipped into the basket, it is eaten and digested, but its poison is such that the symptoms fatal poisoning appear after a couple of weeks. No one even assumes poisoning, so most often the case ends in death.

Poisonous plants in Russia

And among the green residents middle zone In Russia, quite common species that are familiar to almost everyone are very poisonous.

Take, for example, a plant such as aconite, also known as fighter. Tall grass with noticeable pipe flowers is completely poisonous, the leaves and roots are especially dangerous. A couple of grams of any part of aconite, ingested, can kill an adult - death occurs from respiratory arrest. Previously, aconite was deliberately used for bad purposes, for example, to poison bladed weapons with it.


Belladonna is also poisonous, as are its close relatives, datura and henbane - all of them are from the nightshade family.

We also have the famous hemlock, also known as poisonous hemlock. It is often mistaken for an edible plant like celery, as its roots have a pleasant smell and taste. The poison of the hemlock is striking nervous system. Cattle also suffer from hemlock if they accidentally eat it along with other grass - 200 g of roots kill a cow.


Everyone knows both wolf's bast (wolf berries) and raven's eye - most often children are poisoned by their unusual berries. There are few deaths, since the berries, to put it mildly, are much more attractive in appearance than in taste, so a large dose can only be eaten deliberately. Another danger is hogweed - its giant umbrella inflorescences are often found along roads. When hogweed juice gets on the skin or simply comes into contact with the leaves, human skin becomes extremely sensitive to ultraviolet radiation. The result is heavy sunburn, even in the shade. And if you eat hogweed, then in addition to somatic signs of poisoning, even reversible mental disorders are observed.

Popular forest and wildflowers, such as buttercups and lilies of the valley, are also very poisonous. Lilies of the valley are often grown in gardens as ornamental plants, but all of their parts are poisonous, from the roots to the berries. You can even be poisoned by water in which a bouquet of lilies of the valley stood. The poison affects the activity of the heart.

But buttercups are dangerous only when fresh - when dried, the poison is destroyed, so buttercup hay is safe for animals.


Interestingly, almost all of the poisonous plants listed are widely used in medicine, as are other plants not mentioned above. For example, celandine in dermatology, hemlock in oncology and much more. Question of quantity: wrong dosage medicinal plant kills. But there are also representatives of the flora that you should not even approach, let alone consume in homeopathic doses. Moreover, they look, so to speak, quite everyday. It's good that they don't grow here.

The most poisonous plant in the world

So, the most poisonous plant in the world from the Guinness Book of Records is called manchinella. This tree is a common deciduous tree native to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Everything about it is poisonous - the apple fruits, the juice, which causes terrible burns and swelling, and the bark. It is difficult to cut it down, and it is not even possible to burn it: the smoke is also poisonous and causes blindness!


In general, you just need to stay away from manchinella. Therefore, it is often fenced off with a red marker. Remember and avoid.

But the most poisonous substance on earth is not a plant. According to the site, the most dangerous creature in this regard is the box jellyfish.
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Poisonous berry

Getting into the forest during the ripening season of berries and mushrooms, the inexperienced layman forgets that not all of them are edible and safe. From all the variety of berry plants, it is necessary to distinguish those that hide their poisonous “nature” behind their attractive and bright shell. You need to know this yourself and explain it to your children. Despite the fact that it is often advised to eat only wild berries that have been eaten by animals or birds, this recommendation is not correct. Some types of berry fruits that are dangerous to humans are eaten by animals without any consequences for themselves, so this is not an indicator of their harmlessness. The classification and photos of poisonous berries are presented below.

The main signs of intoxication caused by poisonous berries are: convulsions, cramps, rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, irritation of the gastrointestinal tract, depression of consciousness, dizziness. If such symptoms appear, the first step is to provide the victim with rest and cleanse the stomach. To do this, you need to drink 2-4 glasses of water with diluted activated carbon(2 tbsp per 500 ml), salt or potassium permanganate (1 tsp per 500 ml). Repeated repetition of this procedure will help induce vomiting and empty the stomach of the toxic substance. If you have a first aid kit with you, the victim needs to take a heart remedy, as well as any laxative. If you don’t have a first aid kit at hand, black bread crackers, starch or milk will help. The victim must be provided with warmth and qualified medical treatment as soon as possible. medical care.

Poisonous berries: photos and names

To distinguish inedible fruits from ordinary ones, you need to remember their type and shape. Poisonous wild berries can not only cause intoxication of varying severity, but also death. Therefore, while in the forest, under no circumstances should you eat or touch the fruits of unfamiliar shrubs and trees with your bare hands.


The classification of which berries are poisonous and inedible, which are most often found in our forests, is as follows:
  1. Wolf's Bast

Wolf berries

These poisonous forest berries are also popularly called wolfberries. This shrubby plant, growing in mixed forests. In spring it blooms with beautiful inflorescences, very similar to lilac flowers. But even the long-term smell of this plant can cause headaches, coughing, sneezing and runny nose. In autumn, a poisonous red elongated berry appears. It is undesirable not only to consume it, but even to touch it. The bark of this plant is also poisonous, which can cause blisters and ulcers on the surface of the skin.

  1. Nightshade bittersweet

The shrub grows near water bodies, in damp ravines, and oak forests. In folk medicine, nightshade fruits are used for treatment, but self-consumption is fraught with poisoning. Both its red oval fruits and leaves, which emit an unpleasant aroma, are dangerous. The bitter fruits are juicy, with many seeds; all the greenery on the bush is also poisonous.


Nightshade bittersweet (red)

Only unripe fruits are toxic to black nightshade berries. Completely ripe fruits can be eaten; they contain a large number of vitamin C, the leaves are also eaten boiled. The fruits are round, black, the flesh is black-violet, and contain difficult-to-remove dyes. Fresh fruits emit an unpleasant aroma. Nightshade is found not only in forests, but also near ponds, ravines, and roadsides. You can even make jam from the fruits of black nightshade.


It is found in dry forests, coniferous and birch, as well as in meadows, forest edges, and steppe zones. This is a small plant (up to 65 cm) with spherical blue-black or red fruits, pointed leaves and white drooping flowers. When consumed or touched, symptoms of poisoning occur with gastrointestinal upset, headaches, and shortness of breath.


A low plant with one straight stem, on which one ripening fruit is round in shape and black in color. The berry has a bitter taste and unpleasant odor. Grows in coniferous and mixed forests, among shrubs. The fruits, leaves and rhizomes of the plant are equally dangerous from poisoning, the signs of which are respiratory arrest, intestinal irritation, and cardiac dysfunction. The leaves affect the human nervous system and can cause paralysis. ethnoscience uses raven's eye to treat boils, to lubricate various wounds, and treat pulmonary tuberculosis with alcohol tincture and decoction of the leaves.


The well-known lily of the valley flower has poisonous wild berries of red or orange color. The fruits ripen from August to September, their consumption causes convulsions, nausea, dizziness, and cardiac dysfunction. The flowers have a pungent but pleasant smell. Medicine uses May lily of the valley to treat cardiovascular diseases. But self-medication is not recommended, just like eating fruits or placing bouquets indoors.


A plant with large cup-shaped leaves on which red berries ripen, collected in a large bunch. Grows in marshy areas. Along with the most common signs of poisoning, marsh whitefly causes irritation of the mucous membranes. Fresh leaves, stem, fruit, and especially the rhizome are toxic.


Many people are familiar with garden honeysuckle, but few people know which berries are poisonous in forest honeysuckle. They are bright red in color, collected in a small bunch. Honeysuckle berries resemble red currants. What may cause confusion regarding the edibility of the berries is that some birds peck the fruits of forest honeysuckle, but they are poisonous to humans. Only the blue berries of garden honeysuckle are edible. Forest honeysuckle bushes are often used for decorative purposes.


Euonymus is a shrub up to two meters high. Often planted as ornamental shrub with beautiful red fruits. Birds love the berries, but eating them is dangerous for humans. The fruits look like bright red flesh peeking out from pink capsules with black seeds.


A plant of medium height (up to 60 cm), with large oblong black fruits, they also come in red or white. The plant is highly irritating with all its parts; one touch can cause severe inflammation, accompanied by the appearance of blisters. A particularly strong reaction of the toxic substance manifests itself on the mucous membrane of the eyes and mouth. Similar to it is the red-fruited crow, which has red fruits.


The plant is widespread in the mountainous and foothill regions of Southern Russia; the fruits are small black berries with red juice inside. Small fragrant white flowers are collected in numerous umbrellas. Intoxication may result in death due to cardiac arrest or pulmonary edema. The accumulation of oxyhemoglobin stains mucous surfaces in Blue colour. However, fresh ripe fruits can be consumed in processed form.


Buckthorn poisonous berries can be found in the forest near bodies of water. The black bone fruits of buckthorn ripen in late summer. The bark and fruits of buckthorn are used as a remedy for constipation and for gastric lavage. Buckthorn fruits can be confused with bird cherry. Consumption fresh causes severe vomiting.


Many people have come across yew used in decorative hedges, but few people know what poisonous yew berries are, especially in the middle, where brown seeds are hidden under the fleshy, almost harmless part. The bark, shoots, and yew wood are also toxic. Coniferous extract can cause human death. The poison has a paralyzing effect, causing respiratory arrest and convulsions.

  1. Spotted arum

It is a perennial plant with a fleshy stem and tuberous rhizome. At the end of summer, the leaves of the plant fall off, leaving stems with a large bunch of dense red berries. After ingestion, severe intoxication, if first aid is not provided, can lead to death.

Spotted arum

Thus, many of the poisonous plants correct use and recycling can be beneficial and serve medicine from many diseases. However, in no case should you self-medicate without medical skills, or ingest fresh fruits of the above toxic plants. If this happens, you must immediately provide medical assistance to the victim. And most importantly, in order to avoid unpleasant consequences, you should not eat unfamiliar wild berries, touch them with your hands, and allow children to do this.