Amanita farinosa
Encyclopedia
Amanita farinosa, also called Eastern American Floury Amanita, is a North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

n poisonous mushroom of the genus Amanita
Amanita
The genus Amanita contains about 600 species of agarics including some of the most toxic known mushrooms found worldwide. This genus is responsible for approximately 95% of the fatalities resulting from mushroom poisoning, with the death cap accounting for about 50% on its own...

, a genus of fungi including some of the most deadly mushrooms, as well as notably psychedelic mushrooms.

Taxonomy

Two recent molecular studies show that Amanita farinosa is part of a subgroup within Amanita
Amanita
The genus Amanita contains about 600 species of agarics including some of the most toxic known mushrooms found worldwide. This genus is responsible for approximately 95% of the fatalities resulting from mushroom poisoning, with the death cap accounting for about 50% on its own...

with its close relatives the Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria
Amanita muscaria
Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the fly agaric or fly amanita , is a poisonous and psychoactive basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita...

), A. gemmata
Amanita gemmata
Amanita gemmata, commonly known as the gemmed Amanita or the jonquil Amanita, is a mushroom of the genus Amanita, a genus of fungi including some of the most deadly mushrooms, as well as notably psychoactive mushrooms. A. gemmata resembles the false death cap, tawny grisette and panther cap mushrooms...

and A. roseotincta.

Physical description

  • Cap : The cap is 2.5–7 cm (1-2.8 inches) in diameter, domed in young and flat in older specimens, with a striate margin. It is whitish grey and covered with brownish grey volval or mealy material.

  • Gills : The gill
    Gill (mushroom)
    A lamella, or gill, is a papery hymenophore rib under the cap of some mushroom species, most often but not always agarics. The gills are used by the mushrooms as a means of spore dispersal, and are important for species identification...

    s are white. They may be attached to the stem or free. They are close and crowded and not bruising.

  • Stem/Stipe : The stem, or the stipe, lacks a ring and at its base a smallish bulb or volva
    Volva (mycology)
    The volva is a mycological term to describe a cup-like structure at the base of a mushroom that is a remnant of the universal veil. This macrofeature is important in wild mushroom identification due to it being an easily observed, taxonomically significant feature which frequently signifies a...

    . It measures up to 6.5 cm high, 1-3 centimeters thick. The stem is white to tan in color.

  • Spores and microscopic features : The spores are white. They are 5.5-8 x 6-8 µ in measurement and inamyloid. The spores are smooth and round to broadly elliptical.

  • Flesh : The flesh is white in color. It doesn't stain on exposure.

  • Odor : In old specimens, the smell can be strong and that of mink
    Mink
    There are two living species referred to as "mink": the European Mink and the American Mink. The extinct Sea Mink is related to the American Mink, but was much larger. All three species are dark-colored, semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammals of the family Mustelidae, which also includes the weasels and...

    .

Distribution and habitat

An uncommon mushroom, it is found across North America in late summer to late autumn in coniferous or deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...

woodlands.
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