Amanita gwyniana - Amanitaceae.org - Taxonomy and Morphology of Amanita and Limacella
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name Amanita gwyniana
name status nomen acceptum
author Coker
english name "Gwyn's Destroying Angel"
intro The following is based on the original description from Coker (1927), with the addition of my observations of the type.  RET would like to make it clear at the outset that this species is very difficult to separate from A. elliptosperma.  The possibility of synonymy is very real.
cap The cap is 35 - 45 mm wide, plano-convex, depressed in the center, pale creamy to nearly white, lacking volval remains, slightly viscid, with a strongly decurved or incurved, nonstriate margin. The flesh is 2.5 mm thick above the stem, thinning rapidly to a membrane, white.
gills The gills are moderately close, broadly rounded at the margin, white, 4 mm broad, barely reaching the stem.
stem The stem is up to 70 × 6 mm, smooth, nearly pure white, nearly cylindric, solid or very firmly stuffed. The ring is small, membranous, superior, collapsing against the stem. The bulb is 18 - 20 mm wide, ellipsoid, somewhat pointed below in "button." The volva is limbate projecting 6 - 8 mm above the bulb. The limbs are somewhat thickened and standing free from the stem.
odor/taste The mushroom has the odor of "chloride of lime"—smells of decaying protein.  This species should be considered deadly POISONOUS.
spores Spores (from the holotype) of A. gwyniana measure (8.4-) 8.9 - 11.8 (-12.4) × 6.0 - 8.0 (-8.7) µm and are ellipsoid (infrequently elongate) and amyloid. Clamps are probably absent from bases of basidia.
discussion Originally described from North Carolina, USA in association with American Chestnut at elevations close to 1000 meters.

In his discussion of this species, Coker emphasizes the small size and the rounded external ends and the proportional broadness of the gills. Within the "elliptosperma group" [a key including the group is here], the odor of chloride of lime is also distinctive. The fact that this species is never or (rarely) reported may be due to the near extinction of American Chestnut. This species might best be located by searching near American chestnut stumps with still living roots.

Part of the confusion concerning this species was introduced by a second collection included in the original description. I have examined this specimen, which appears to be A. bisporigera G. F. Atk. A specimen with plentiful subglobose spores and plentiful two-spored basidia introduced an incorrect amount of variation into the species description.—R. E. Tulloss

brief editors RET

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