Amanita verna, commonly known as the fool's mushroom, Destroying angel or the mushroom fool, is a deadly poisonous basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita. Occurring in Europe in spring, Amanita verna associates with various deciduous and coniferous trees. The large fruiting bodies appear in summer and autumn; the caps, stipes and gills are all white in colour.
The fool's mushroom (Amanita verna) also known as the spring destroying angel or death angel, is a close relative of Amanita phalloides, the death cap and a member of the mushroom genus Amanita. Amanita verna, like its close relative, belongs to the subfamily Phalloideae.
The fool's mushroom is pure white, all the way to the gills and the stem. This fungus, like all amanitas, has a volva. The fool's mushroom's cap is 5–10 centimetres (2–4 in) wide, and is about the same height.
This mushroom's lamellae is free and white, and the volva is bag-like and large. Its annulus is white and membranous, and Amanita verna also does not react with potassium hydroxide solution, unlike its relative Amanita virosa. The mushroom's spores are smooth and elliptical.
The mushroom lives in Europe. The fool's mushroom is known to grow in woodlands and hardwood forests.
As the fool's mushroom other name (spring destroying angel) suggests, this toxic amanita grows in spring.
Closely related to other deadly pure white amanitas, the fool's mushroom is one of the most poisonous mushrooms in the world. Just like the death cap, it contains amatoxins, primarily alpha-amanitin, which can cause liver failure. While this mushroom also contains other poisons like phallotoxins, these toxins are not behind the fatal poisoning that this mushroom, as well as all members of the subfamily Phalloideae, causes.
This mushroom's toxicity and symptoms are similar, if not identical to that of the death cap. Like other members of the subfamily Phalloideae, the fool's mushroom has been implicated in a number of serious or fatal poisonings.
There are no negative symptoms from eating this fungus until 6–24 hours after ingestion. The first symptom is simply unease. Violent cramps and diarrhoea follow. On the third day, the same symptoms repeat themselves, but while to many this may seem like a sign of recovery, most of the time it is simply a herald of the final onset of symptoms, which include kidney and liver failure due to amatoxins. At this point, drastic measures like liver transplants need to be taken, or the victim would most likely die.
The fatal dosage of this mushroom is around 30g (1 oz), though it is not recommended taking even the smallest amount of any deadly amanita, as the fatal dosage varies with the size of the person who consumes the mushroom.
Unlike various closely related poisonous amanitas, this mushroom is not known to occur in North America.

List of similar species:
Agaricus arvensis (Horse Mushroom)  : excellent edible
Agaricus campestris (Field mushroom)  : excellent edible
Agaricus silvicola (Wood mushroom)  : excellent edible
Agaricus xanthodermus (Yellow-staining mushroom)  : toxic or at least unpleasant-tasting (varies with consumer)
Amanita bisporigera (Destroying angel)  : deadly poisonous
Amanita caesarea (Caesar's Amanita) (bulb stage only) : excellent edible
Amanita ocreata (American destroying angel)  : deadly poisonous
Amanita phalloides (death cap)  : deadly poisonous
Amanita virosa (European destroying angel)  : deadly poisonous
Amanitopsis vaginata (Grisette)  : Edible
Calvatia spp. (Giant puffballs)  : (bulb stage only) : Mostly edible when young
Leucoagaricus leucothites : Edible and good, but can cause mild poisonings in some individuals
Lycoperdon spp. (Puffballs)  : Mostly edible when young
Volvariella speciosa : Edible but not tasty
Volvariella volvacea (Paddy straw mushroom) : Edible and good