For those interested in finding wild mushrooms in one of our driest states.

This is a bit of a diversion from our usual edible mushroom emphasis, but there is a subject worth discussion.

This photo is one recently submitted for identification in a situation where the parents of a child were worried about a possible poisoning. Many of you will recognize the mushroom as an Agaricus, very possibly bitorquis, from the robust stature, and one of our most popular edibles. This, in my mind, is a most important reason for the existence of the Mushroom Society of Utah. We can, in most cases, relieve the minds of parents or custodians of little people who have innocently nibbled on what they thought was a delicious wild edible.
In only one case of helping with mushroom ID's have I ever seen a bad experience. Two dogs were once poisoned by eating a poisonous Lepiota. One expired, the other had extensive liver damage. We were able to provide information on the type of toxin in the mushroom that may have helped save the one dogs life.
Our conclusion about the incident with the attached photo - the child probably had a tastier meal than his/her parents.