Gemmed Amanita

Description

The gemmed amanita has a yellow cap — from straw and lemon to ochre — up to about 11 cm across, with a striate margin. It is usually covered with whitish patches, but rain easily washes them off. The gills are white and free, the stem white or yellowish, scaly, with a hanging but fragile ring that quickly disappears. The base is thickened and covered by an adnate volva.

It grows from June to November in deciduous, coniferous and mixed woods, usually singly, on acidic and sandy soils, often along paths. In Poland it is fairly rare.

It is distinguished by the volva at the base, flesh that does not change colour and a yellow cap. It is a poisonous mushroom. If you are not sure of the species, do not pick it and do not eat it.

Identification features

Cap

Diameter up to 11–12 cm (descriptions also give 2.5–12 cm); hemispherical when young, then domed, finally almost flat. Colour straw-yellow, lemon, ochre-yellow to golden, fading with age; sticky when moist. Usually covered with whitish, thin patches, easily washed off by rain, so often absent. Margin striate.

Hymenophore (underside of the cap)

Gills white, crowded, free to narrowly adnate (according to some descriptions not attached to the stem).

Stem

Height 4–14 cm, thickness up to 2 cm (descriptions also give 0.5–1.9 cm), white or yellowish, usually covered with spreading white scales; even or slightly thickened towards the base. In young specimens a narrow white ring, in older ones it disappears or is fragile. Base with a bulb covered by an adnate volva, usually forming a small free rim.

Flesh

White, does not change colour when cut; taste mild, smell weak or absent. The taste must not be tested; do not taste the flesh of this or any suspicious mushroom.

Spore print and spores

Spore print white. Spores smooth, thin-walled, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, non-amyloid, with one or several small oil droplets; size 8–13 × 6.5–9 µm (descriptions also give 8–10 × 6.5–7.5 µm, Q ≈ 1.35).

Habitat and distribution

Ecology. Mycorrhizal fungus. Documented partnerships: shore pine (Pinus contorta), manzanita (Arctostaphylos), maritime pine (Pinus pinaster); in Europe often with spruce (Picea abies). Grows in deciduous, coniferous and mixed woods, usually on acidic, sandy soils, often along paths and roads; singly, scattered or in groups. A thermophilic species.

Distribution. Europe, North America (as a species complex), Japan, China, Iran, Chile and Colombia. In Poland many localities, but the frequency is not precisely known; according to some descriptions fairly rare, more frequent in southern Europe. Not legally protected.

Fruiting. From June to November (descriptions also give: summer and autumn).

What can it be confused with?

• Amanita excelsa (grey spotted amanita) — Ring striate, and the base of the stem is not surrounded by a volva.
• Amanita rubescens (the blusher) — Has no volva, the flesh is wine-red (reddens when damaged), and the ring is striate on the upper side.
• Amanita citrina (false death cap), Amanita pantherina, Amanita crocea — The cap of the gemmed amanita is paler than that of the false death cap and more yellow than that of the panther cap and the tawny grisette; further differences — no data.
• Amanita muscaria (yellow varieties) — The gemmed amanita is smaller and has a different stem structure.
• Amanita aprica, A. orientigemmata, A. gioiosa — Similar species are also listed: A. orientigemmata has clamp connections and slightly smaller spores; details of the others — no data.

Never rely on a single feature. If you are not sure — do not pick it; show the mushroom to a qualified mushroom expert.

Interesting facts

• The English name gemmed amanita (Latin gemmatus — adorned with jewels) alludes to the white patches on the cap.
• The species has more than 30 synonyms of its scientific name, because over the years it was moved between genera (including Amanitopsis, Amanitaria, Venenarius).
• The usually white patches are so impermanent that rain often washes them off completely, which makes identification harder.
• It prefers sandy and slightly acidic soils and often grows in the company of Norway spruce (Picea abies).