Amanita masasiensis - Amanitaceae.org - Taxonomy and Morphology of Amanita and Limacella
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name Amanita masasiensis
name status nomen acceptum
author Härk. & Saarim. in Härk., Saarim. & Mwasumbii
english name "Masasi Slender Caesar"
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  • Amanita masasiensis from Zambia.Amanita masasiensis from Zambia.

    1. Amanita masasiensis from Zambia.

  • cap The cap of Amanita masasiensis is 30 - 70 mm wide, convex, becoming planar and (sometimes) depressed in the center, lacking an umbo or with a low broad one, smooth, slightly sticky, nonappendiculate, with a striate margin (35 - 40% of the radius).  The cap is yellow to yellow-orange, more strongly pigmented and redder in the center, and yellow at the margin. The flesh is white, strongly yellow under the cap's skin, and sometimes somewhat yellow above the gills; it is soft to firm.  The volva is occasionally present as white patches.
    gills The gills are free, fairly crowded, yellow, thin, with a smooth and concolorous edge.
    stem The stem is 60 - 70 × 9 - 11 mm, yellow, and cylindric.  The flesh is white, brittle-fibrous, stuffed, and becoming hollow.  The rather large, saccate volva is membranous, white, somewhat floccose on exterior surface,and attached at the extreme base of the stem.
    spores The spores of this species measure (8.5-) 8.6 - 10.8 (-12.1) × (5.5-) 6.0 - 7.0 (-9.0) µm and are ellipsoid to elongate and inamyloid.  The original description describes spores as too broad because of an apparent typographical error.  Clamps are common at bases of basidia.
    discussion Amanita masasiensis was originally described from Tanzania.  It is also known from Zambia.  It occurs in miombo woodland with Brachystegia and Uapaca.  It has also been found in a plantation of Arandarium.  It can be assigned to Amanita stirps Hemibapha.  Its cap pigmentation is similar to that of A. hemibapha (Berk. & Broome) Sacc.  The latter has smaller spores, different associated woody plants, and is known from southern India and Sri Lanka.

    The present species is a market species in Africa.  For other regional market species of sect. Caesareae, see A. mafingensis Härk. & Saarim..—R. E. Tulloss
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