The species that I bring you today is Amanita citrina (Schaeff.) Pers., a fungi commonly known as False Deathcap.
It's a mycorrhizal mushroom that occurs in the European continent and some parts of North America, often confused with deadly poisonous species like Amanita phalloides or Amanita virosa.
Despite being an inedible mushroom, it's neither poisonous nor deadly.
Quick identification:
- The cap is approximately 4 to 10 cm in diameter; globose when immature, becoming plano-convex when mature; smooth edge. The cuticle can have several colors: white, citrus yellow or greenish yellow, always more intense in the center. It's usually covered with large veil fragments with a mealy texture.
- The hymenium is composed of free gills, very tight, essentially white, but may have shades of yellow.
- The stem (5-15 cm x 0,5-1,8 cm, approx.), cylindrical, compact when immature, to hollow when mature, slightly striated above the ring; colors range from white to pale citrus yellow.
- The ring is persistent, membranous and slightly fluted.
- The volva is membranous, hemispherical and whitish.
Habitat: It's a mycorrhizal species, frequent in hardwood (e.g. holm oak, cork oak) and resinous (e.g. pine) forests.
WARNING: Easily confused with deadly poisonous Amanita species !
PHOTOS (All the following photos were taken in the Alentejo region, southern Portugal).
Amanita citrina © David Germano | All rights reserved.
Amanita citrina © David Germano | All rights reserved.
Amanita citrina © David Germano | All rights reserved.
Amanita citrina © David Germano | All rights reserved.
Amanita citrina © David Germano | All rights reserved.
Amanita citrina © David Germano | All rights reserved.