Fly Agaric, Fly Amanita

Included on this page is an illustration and description of Agaricus muscarius, or Fly Agaric; one of 163 original watercolors in the four-volume manuscript for Illustrations of British Mycology, an 1847 work by Anna Maria Hussey and her sister, Frances Reed. The sisters travelled the English countryside to paint specimens from life, and the Agaricus muscarius is surrounded by the tall grasses and moss of its natural habitat. This spotted, white-gilled toadstool is one of the most recognizable mushrooms in popular culture.