Hallucinogenic fly agaric, or Amanita muscaria, mushrooms were discovered in Queen Elizabeth II’s garden recently.
The red and white mushrooms--commonly associated with Super Mario Bros--are found all over the world. They can be consumed and can cause psychoactive effects and notably cause dissociative changes in perception. However, they can cause poisoning and have a different psychoactive constituent than psilocybin mushrooms, which are sold as a street drug.
The fungi were found at Buckingham Palace in London by celebrity gardener Alan Titchmarsh, according to NBC News. He found them while filming for broadcaster ITV that is to be aired on Christmas Day.
“There are several hundred fungi species in the palace garden, including a small number of naturally occurring fly agaric mushrooms,” a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace was quoted as saying. He said the fungi are beneficial for trees.
