Scientists from the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) have discovered a new species of Amanita mushrooms in Sofia, reports the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). Assoc. Prof. Boris Assyov and his colleagues from Turkiye, France, and the Czech Republic came across unusual-looking Amanita in Sofia's West Park.

"We started a project aimed at studying Amanita mushrooms in Europe. Paradoxically, we found that they haven't been sufficiently researched, despite the great interest in them, because some of the deadliest mushrooms, like the white and green Amanitas, belong to this genus. The Amanita also includes valuable edible mushrooms, like the bridal veil [Phallus indusiatus] mushroom, which is a food market favourite in Bulgaria," Assyov explained.

Assyov clarified that this mushroom cannot be cultivated because Amanitas are mycorrhizal fungi, meaning they form connections with the roots of various trees and cannot survive without them. Due to their inability to be cultivated and because they are collected only in the wild, their prices are relatively high on the market.