MPM Lunch and Lecture

Mushrooms in the genus Amanita are deadly poisonous. Commonly found in our Wisconsin forests and across North America, "Destroying Angels" and "Star Foots" may look harmless or even enticing, but when eaten, the mushrooms cause a painful death, for people and pets. Anne Pringle, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor, Departments of Botany and Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, will discuss the history of Amanita phalloides, or "Death Cap," in North America, including how deaths have alerted research to new sightings of the fungus, and explore recently generated data which seem to suggest toxin gene evolution is more dynamic than anyone has ever suspected.