Amatoxins and phallotoxins in indigenous and introduced South African Amanita species

The production of lethal amatoxins and phallotoxins in species of Amanita from South Africa was investigated by HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromotography) analyses. The indigenous mushrooms Amanita foetidissima and A. pleropus tested negative for production of these toxins. Several introduced species were analysed; of these, A. phalloides var. phalloides, A. phalloides f. alba and A. reidii contained amatoxins and phallotoxins. Despite reports of rapid degradation of phallotoxins upon drying, phallotoxins and amatoxins were both readily detectable in dried herbarium specimens up to 17 years old. Previous reports of phallotoxins in A. rubescens were not substantiated.