Dangers
There are numerous other species of Bryoria that can be mistaken for wila, as they all look superficially similar. Although wila is edible, most of the other species of Bryoria are mildly toxic and should not be eaten in large quantities. Furthermore, in certain areas wila can contain toxic quantities of vulpinic acid, which is one of the most potent poisons found in lichens. If you intend to eat wila, you must take proper care to ensure that you are collecting the right species, and that it is not a morphotype that is high in vulpinic acid.
Read more about this topic: Wila (lichen)
Famous quotes containing the word dangers:
“But to let such dangers pass,
Which a lover’s thoughts disdain,
‘Tis enough in such a place
To attend love’s joys in vain.”
—Thomas Campion (1567–1620)
“Learning carries within itself certain dangers because out of necessity one has to learn from one’s enemies.”
—Leon Trotsky (1879–1940)
“The greatest dangers have their allurements, if the want of success is likely to be attended with a degree of glory. Middling dangers are horrid, when the loss of reputation is the inevitable consequence of ill success.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)