Amanita smithiana
Encyclopedia
Amanita smithiana, also known as Smith's Amanita, is a species of agaric
found on soil in coniferous (Abies, Tsuga
, Pseudotsuga) and broadleaved (Alnus
, Quercus) woodland in the Pacific Northwest
of North America. It fruits in August and September.
The cap
has a diameter of 5–17 cm (2–7 in) and is white and scaled with remnants of the universal veil. The stem
is 6–18 cm (2–7 in) and white and similarly scaled, with a ring
.
It is responsible for poisonings in the Pacific Northwest when mistaken for the edible and sought after Tricholoma magnivelare
. It causes rapid renal failure.
Amanita smithiana was described by Dutch mycologist Cornelis Bas in 1969. It belongs in the subgenus Lepidella. Two similar species have been implicated in similar cases of acute renal failure; A. proxima in Spain and A. pseudoporphyria in Japan.
Agaric
An agaric is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus that is clearly differentiated from the stipe , with lamellae on the underside of the pileus. "Agaric" can also refer to a basidiomycete species characterized by an agaric-type fruiting body...
found on soil in coniferous (Abies, Tsuga
Tsuga
Tsuga is a genus of conifers in the family Pinaceae. The common name hemlock is derived from a perceived similarity in the smell of its crushed foliage to that of the unrelated plant poison hemlock....
, Pseudotsuga) and broadleaved (Alnus
Alder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
, Quercus) woodland in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
of North America. It fruits in August and September.
The cap
Pileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
has a diameter of 5–17 cm (2–7 in) and is white and scaled with remnants of the universal veil. The stem
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
is 6–18 cm (2–7 in) and white and similarly scaled, with a ring
Annulus (mycology)
An annulus is the ring like structure sometimes found on the stipe of some species of mushrooms. The annulus represents the remaining part of the partial veil, after it has ruptured to expose the gills or other spore-producing surface. An annulus may be thick and membranous, or it may be cobweb-like...
.
It is responsible for poisonings in the Pacific Northwest when mistaken for the edible and sought after Tricholoma magnivelare
Tricholoma magnivelare
Tricholoma magnivelare is a gilled mushroom found in the Pacific Northwest of North America growing in coniferous woodland. These ectomycorrhizal fungi are typically edible species which exist in a symbiotic relationship with various species of pine. They belong to the genus Tricholoma, which...
. It causes rapid renal failure.
Amanita smithiana was described by Dutch mycologist Cornelis Bas in 1969. It belongs in the subgenus Lepidella. Two similar species have been implicated in similar cases of acute renal failure; A. proxima in Spain and A. pseudoporphyria in Japan.