Amanita

While chasing Amanitas...

 
Amanita aprica  (Sierra Nevada, Spring)   

When exposed to the sun or at age  the cap may get discolored to whitish

   Amanita aprica (white form)    (Sierra Nevada, Late Spring/Early Summer) It is commonly accepted in the local folklore that there is a "white form" of A. aprica. Whether this is so, or the whiteness is simply a result of environmental factors (see above) will be determined when more collections are obtained.

   Amanita cesarea (Bulgaria, under Quercus cerris)

    Amanita excelsa  var. spissa  (=A. spissa) (Bulgaria, Picea abies forest) The distinct striations on the upper annulus make this a beautiful species.

  
Amanita franchetii    (California)

Amanita gemmata s.l.                                                                 [more]

     Amanita lanei (=A. calyptrata) (Fall variation, Coastal forests)

    Amanita lanei (=calyptrata) (Spring variation, Sierra Nevada)

Amanita magniverrucata  (California)

    Amanita muscaria var. flavivolvata    (All collections from California and the pacific Northwest)

Amanita muscaria var. guessowii    (Sierra Nevada, late Summer) The exact distribution of this variation is unclear. The commonly misapplied name is A. muscaria var. formosa.

    Amanita novinupta    (California) The Western American version of A. rubescens.

			Amanita ocreata       (California)
Frequently rubescent  at the base, or elsewhere...	Older specimens in dry conditions can develop an off-white to green-brownish, metallic sheen  similar to A. phalloides.

    Amanita pachycolea    (California)

Amanita pantherina                                                                                [more]

Amanita phalloides    (California)

    Amanita porphyria    (California)

Amanita rubescens  (Bulgaria, July) The most common Amanita overall -- found on every walk -- from the high mountain conifer forests to the coastal hardwood forests.

   
Amanita silvicola    (California)

   
Amanita smithiana    (Vancouver BC)

   
Amanita umbrinolutea (~A. battarae)    (Bulgaria, Pirin Mtn. 1700 m, Picea abies forest) Spores: globose 11-13 (14)μ. The key to the cluster of similarly looking species (+ A. submembranacea) centers around the abundance of sphaerocysts in the veil...

   
Amanita vaginata [sensu Thiers]   (California) It is highly unlikely that this is A. vaginata in the European sense, but that's the best name we have at the moment.

    Amanita vaginata var. alba    (Bulgaria, Pirin Mtn. 1800 m. Under Picea abies) Comments: The habitat and spore size/shape (9-12 µ globose) rules out A. nivalis, A. mairei, A. argentea and other similar (and more interesting) whitish specimens.

   
Amanita velosa    (California)