Death cap mushrooms are the most dangerous species and are typically found near oak trees in regional and metropolitan areas.
They have a large yellow-green or olive-brown cap and can cause stomach pains, vomiting, diarrhoea, organ failure and even death within 48 hours.
The yellow staining mushroom is another exotic species that is the cause of most poisonings due to ingestion of wild fungi in Victoria.
This mushroom looks very similar to ‘supermarket’ or cultivated mushrooms and to edible wild mushrooms, such as the field mushroom.
The cap and stem are white-ish to pale brown, and turn yellow when rubbing the surface with a thumbnail. It usually has an unpleasant odour.
Symptoms experienced after consumption include nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and diarrhoea. The severity of symptoms varies with the amount eaten.
Deputy chief health officer Clare Looker is urging Victorians not to pick or eat wild mushrooms this autumn.
“It is very difficult to distinguish between poisonous and edible wild mushrooms, so people are advised to only consume commercially bought mushrooms," she said.
She asked anyone who suspected they have eaten a poisonous mushroom to seek help immediately and not wait for symptoms to appear.
Mushroom lovers falling victim to poisonous picks were among 60 people who made mushroom-related calls to the state’s poison information centre during April-May last year, resulting in some referrals to hospital.
In 2020, Victoria had a spate of death cap poisonings, with eight people in hospital at one point. Five ended up in intensive care and one died.
Wild mushrooms can also be lethal for pets.
People should contact the Victorian Poisons Information Centre immediately on 131 126 for assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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