Amanita pseudoporphyria

Amanita pseudoporphyria, also known as Hongo's false death cap, is a species of agaric fungus from the genus Amanita.

Similar species
The species differs only slightly from Amanita manginiana by having more abundant inflated cells of its volva, and its ellipsoid to broad ellipsoid spores.

Taxonomy
The species was originally described in Japan.

Distribution and habitat
The species is quite common in southern China, and is now also known in North India, Thailand, and Nepal. It grows solitarily or gregariously in coniferous forests.

Toxicity
A. pseudoporphyria is considered poisonous, though is sold in free markets in southern China, along with A. manginiana.

One 66-year-old man with diabetes experienced nephrotoxin poisoning, including delayed onset acute kidney failure associated with the ingestion of this mushroom. Effects occurred similar to that of the intoxication symptoms associated with the North American species Amanita smithiana and the Mediterranean A. proxima. Kidney biopsy of the patient showed acute tubular necrosis with glomerular minor abnormalities. Treatment included a three-week period of haemodialysis, after which the patient fully recovered from the acute kidney failure in two months.

Scientists analyzed several commercial processed food items containing mushrooms, including a bag of what was claimed to be dried "porcini mushrooms" sold online. DNA analysis revealed the bag to contain A. pseudoporphyria (as well as Tylopilus microsporus, Caloboletus yunnanensis, and Retiboletus fuscus). Several customers left reviews of the product as having "an extremely bitter flavor with a bad aftertaste", causing them to be "poisoned" and extremely sick. In July 2019, the scientists reached out to the online retailer to inform them of their findings, but it was still for sale as of 2021.