The fungi suspected to have played a role in what may have been a triple homicide in Australia can also be found in Canadian forests.
The Australian case made headlines this week, when police announced they believe "death cap" mushrooms were served at a family lunch in July. A week later, three of the four people who'd been at the lunch were dead.
Erin Patterson, 48, is alleged to have served Amanita mushrooms to her former parents-in-law, her mother-in-law's sister and her husband, who is critically ill in hospital, according to police.
Officers from the small town of Leongatha, where the incident occurred, say Patterson is a suspect in what they're calling a homicide investigation. Patterson has denied any wrongdoing.
Following the incident, Canadians who'd heard of the story turned to search engines to find out whether the poisonous mushrooms can be found here.
The mushrooms in question are known to grow in British Columbia.
"Death caps" can be found in the in mostly "urban areas," the B.C. Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) says.
The fungi grows in wetter conditions, usually in late fall, but can show up in summer in areas that are watered regularly.
Just last month, prompting the provincial health authority to release a warning.
The child survived but the incident should serve as a cautionary tale, the PHSA says. It warned about the mushroom's toxicity, saying it can cause liver damage and sometimes death.
Provincial officials say a person will feel abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration eight to 12 hours after ingesting the mushroom. A second , a fact sheet from the B.C. Centre for Disease Control says.
" in the world, according to the centre.
Anyone who thinks they've ingested one of these potentially deadly fungi should go to an emergency room immediately, the B.C. CDC advises.
There have been about 100 sightings of "death cap" mushrooms across B.C., according to a study published earlier this year that suggests sightings are likely to increase as the mushrooms spread.
Researchers with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in bioRxiv published a study in January
Reproduction involves the fusion of two sexes, but evidence shows "death caps" can multiply "by single individuals," they said.
"The diverse reproductive strategies of, revealing a profound similarity between plant, animal and fungal invasions," the study reads.
At the time it was published, the study had yet to be peer-reviewed.
The species of mushrooms is considered invasive in Canada. "Death caps" look similar to Asian straw mushrooms and other varieties that grow within cities, along tree roots and on logs.
In B.C.,
