Amanita salmonescens

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by Michael Kuo

Here is a rare and subtly beautiful mushroom, distinguished by its pale salmon blushing (especially on its ring), its whitish to grayish warts, and its distinctive stem base, which forms an elongated bulb and is often ringed by concentric circles of universal veil material. Microscopic features also serve to separate the species.

Amanita salmonescens was originally described from New Jersey and South Carolina. The illustrated mushrooms, collected in Illinois, represent the first documented collections of the species away from the east coast of North America (Tulloss, pers. com.).

Edibility is not known for Amanita salmonescens, but no amanita should be under consideration for the table!

Description:

Ecology: Mycorrhizal with hardwoods (especially oaks, apparently) or in mixed woods; recorded from New Jersey, South Carolina, and Illinois; apparently rare in eastern North America but common in Illinois; summer and fall. The author of the species says: "I have seen it only three times in over 20 years, each time from a different locality" (Tulloss, 2004).

Cap: 3.5-8.5 cm; convex, expanding to planoconvex or flat, sometimes with a central depression; whitish, discoloring pinkish or reddish brown; covered with white to gray warts; the margin not lined or lined slightly at maturity.

Gills: Free from the stem or slightly attached to it; crowded or close; white to cream, sometimes discoloring slightly brownish; with frequent short-gills.

Stem: 2-7 cm long; 1 cm thick; tapering slightly, then flaring at apex; white, often bruising salmon pinkish; smooth or slightly hairy; with an elongated bulb at the bottom that is ringed by loosely concentric circles of universal veil material; with a skirtlike ring that often collapses against the stem and typically discolors pinkish to brownish salmon.

Flesh: White; sometimes pinkish around insect-damaged areas.

Odor: Not distinctive, or somewhat fragrant-fruity.

Spore Print: White.

Microscopic Features: Spores 6.5-9 x 4.5-6 µ; elliptical; smooth; amyloid.

REFERENCES: Tulloss, 1990. (Tulloss, 1990; Tulloss, 2004; Tulloss, pers. com.) Herb. Kuo 07280304, 07100703.

Further Online Information:

Amanita salmonescens at Tulloss's Studies in Amanita

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2004, March). Amanita salmonescens. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/amanita_salmonescens.html