Caesar’s Mushroom

Amanita caesarea This is a Mediterranean species and has never been found in Britain. It has a big floppy sheath (volva) at the base of the stem. I was lucky enough to find a prize collection in an oak wood in southern France. This mushroom was known to be a favourite of Julius Caesar; Claudius also was very fond of it, and it is thought that he was poisoned by the addition of death caps to a dish of this mushroom. It is another mushroom that is a favourite of the Spanish and is commonly seen in Spanish markets.