Amanita multisquamosa
Description
Amanita multisquamosa, commonly known as the Booted Amanita or Small Funnel-Veil Amanita, is a striking mushroom found in eastern North American forests, from Eastern Canada down to Florida. Often referred to as the "White Panther," this species is a member of the Amanita pantherina group and boasts a beautiful whitish cap adorned with numerous pale warts, transitioning to a yellowish or tan center.
✨ Identification Features:
Cap: Whitish with a yellowish or tan center, covered in prominent white warts.
Stem: Thick and bulbous at the base, featuring a distinctive collar-like rim of volval material.
Ring: Characteristic funnel-like annulus, adding to its unique appearance.
🍽️ While this enchanting mushroom may catch the eye of foragers, caution is advised! Amanita multisquamosa contains muscimol and ibotenic acid, compounds linked to neurological effects. Symptoms can range from mild gastrointestinal distress to significant neurological toxicity, similar to that of Amanita muscaria. A rare but notable case involved a woman who experienced altered mental status after consuming this mushroom, underscoring the importance of expert identification.
🔍 Safety Note: Always consult an expert when foraging mushrooms, as misidentification can lead to serious health risks. Despite its alluring beauty, Amanita multisquamosa serves as a reminder of the hidden dangers in the wild. Stay safe and enjoy the wonders of nature! 🌿💚
📝 Amanita cothurnata and Amanita pantherina var. multisquamosa are synonyms.
Mushroom Identification
🍄 Cap: Amanita multisquamosa has a cap measuring 1.38 to 3.94 inches (3.5 to 10 cm) wide. It starts convex, gradually becoming broadly convex or flat with age. Fresh specimens are tacky, featuring a pale whitish color with a yellowish-tan center and adorned with numerous whitish to yellowish warts. The cap margin is finely lined at maturity.
🌿 Gills: The gills are free from the stem or nearly so, crowded, and white, with frequent short gills that are truncate. 🥢
🦵 Stem: The stem stands 3.15 to 5.12 inches (8 to 13 cm) tall and 0.20 to 0.59 inches (0.5 to 1.5 cm) thick, usually more or less equal but may taper towards the apex. It features a prominent skirt-like white ring, is bald above the ring, and slightly shaggy below. The stem terminates in a bulb that is pinched off at the bottom, with an adherent white volva forming a collar-like rim.
🍖 Flesh: The flesh is white throughout, thin, and hollowing in the stem, with no color change when sliced.
👃 Odor: Amanita multisquamosa has a non-distinctive odor.
🌳 Habitat: This fascinating mushroom forms mycorrhizal associations primarily with oaks and other hardwoods. You'll find it growing alone, scattered, or in groups during the summer and fall, widely distributed east of the Great Plains. 🌳🌾
⚪ Spore Print: The spore print is white.
🧪 Chemical Reactions: When tested with KOH, the cap surface is negative to slightly pinkish.
🔬 Microscopic Features: Spores measure 8-12 x 5-8 µm, are ellipsoid, inamyloid, and smooth. Basidia are 4-spored and unclamped. The pileipellis has an ixocutis structure of hyphae measuring 2-9 µm wide.
Photo sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Michelle N. (CC BY 4.0)
Photo 2 - Author: Mark Jones (Public Domain)
Photo 3 - Author: oksanaetal (CC BY 4.0)
Photo 4 - Author: boletejones (CC BY 4.0)
