Panther cap

Description

The panther cap has a brown cap, usually 4–12 cm across, covered with white patches, with a distinctly striate margin. The gills are white and free, and the white stem has a smooth, membranous ring and a small bulb with several rims at the base. The flesh is white and does not change colour when damaged.

It grows from June to October, mainly in deciduous woods, less often coniferous, singly or in small groups. In Poland it is common.

It is most often confused with the blusher and grey spotted amanita; it is distinguished by its smooth ring, rim-like base, striate cap margin and the absence of reddening of the flesh. It is a poisonous mushroom, according to sources more so than the fly agaric. If you are not sure of the species, do not pick it and do not eat it.

Identification features

Cap

Diameter 4–12 cm (descriptions also give 5–18 cm); spherical or hemispherical when young, then convex to flat. Colour greyish-brown, brown or brownish-yellow, in the mountains sometimes blackish-brown. Covered with white, easily washed-off patches (veil remnants), skin easily peeled, sticky when wet. Margin distinctly striate — a feature that distinguishes it from the blusher and the grey spotted amanita.

Hymenophore (underside of the cap)

Gills crowded, white (turning grey with age according to some descriptions), free at the stem, not attached.

Stem

Height 5–15 cm, thickness 1–2 cm (descriptions also give 0.6–3 cm); white, thick and massive when young, then slender, cylindrical, hollow inside. Base with a small bulb, ending in several rims (a collar-like, ring-like volva in the upper part of the bulb, white, turning grey with age according to some descriptions) — a feature distinguishing it from similar amanitas. Ring membranous, smooth (not grooved), disappearing in older fruiting bodies.

Flesh

White, brittle, does not change colour when damaged (does not redden, unlike the blusher). Smell slightly radish-like or like raw potato, taste mild, sweetish-sickly. 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, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid, rarely spherical, non-amyloid; size 9–12 × 7–9 µm (descriptions also give 8–14 × 6–10 µm).

Habitat and distribution

Ecology. Ectomycorrhizal fungus, associated with trees; grows in deciduous woods (especially under beech), less often coniferous, rarely in meadows; singly or in small groups, in the lowlands and in the mountains.

Distribution. The whole Northern Hemisphere in the temperate zone; in the Southern Hemisphere in Australia and — introduced with trees — in South Africa. In Poland regarded as common (on a European scale sometimes described as not very common). Not legally protected.

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

What can it be confused with?

• Amanita rubescens (the blusher) — The flesh reddens when damaged, the ring is grooved (striate on the upper side), the cap has a reddish tint and a non-striate margin, and the bulb has a different shape (no volval rims).
• Amanita excelsa (grey spotted amanita) — Ring grooved, bulb shape different, cap margin not distinctly striate.
• Amanita franchetii (Franchet's amanita) — Ring on the stem yellow.
• Macrolepiota procera (parasol mushroom) — The parasol mushroom is sometimes confused with it; the parasol has a movable double ring and a snake-like pattern on the stem, and has no volva or bulb.

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

• In the former GDR it was at the top of the list of mushrooms causing poisonings; the victims were mainly holidaymakers unfamiliar with it from Saxony, where the species is rare.
• The English name false blusher arose because, unlike the blusher (A. rubescens), its flesh does not redden when damaged.
• It appeared on the label of a Polish Post stamp issued on 31 August 2012 (3 zł, series "Mushrooms in Polish forests"), next to the parasol mushroom, with which it is sometimes confused.
• The content of ibotenic acid and muscimol depends among other things on the season, age and habitat; dark brown specimens have a higher concentration of ibotenic acid.