Amanita subvaginata - Amanitaceae.org - Taxonomy and Morphology of Amanita and Limacella
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name Amanita subvaginata
name status nomen acceptum
author (Cleland & Cheel) E.-J. Gilbert
english name "Australian False Vaginata"
images
  • Amanita subvaginata Libr. Arnold Arboretum, Harvard Unive.Amanita subvaginata Libr. Arnold Arboretum, Harvard Unive.

    1. Amanita subvaginata, plate from protolog, courtesy Libr. Arnold Arboretum, Harvard Univ.

  • Amanita subvaginata courtesy Botanical Libraries, Harvard UniversityAmanita subvaginata courtesy Botanical Libraries, Harvard University

    2. Amanita subvaginata, plate from protolog, courtesy Libr. Arnold Arboretum, Harvard Univ.

    • intro The following information is based on the original description of the present species and on Gilbert (1940 & 1941).
    cap The cap of A. subvaginata is up to 32 mm wide, convex, ashy-gray, with a striate margin. The volva forms a powdery covering.
    gills The gills just reachg the stem and are close, white, and have a finely roughened edge.
    stem The stem is up to 39 mm long, stout, with a powdery covering, and solid (at first stuffed then hollow, according to Gilbert 1941), with a slightly bulbous base.  The volva is present on the edge of the bulb, marginate and ashy-gray.
    odor/taste The odor and taste for this species have not been described.
    spores The spores measure 7.5 - 9.0 µm in diameter and are globose and inamyloid. Gilbert (1940) presents seventeen drawings of spores, six are or may be correctly oriented for measurement and yield these dimensions: 8.7 - 9.7 × 7.8 - 8.8 µm.  They are subglobose to broadly ellipsoid or, perhaps occasionally, globose.  Note that, as is usually the case, the report of Amanita spores as truly and consistently globose is not borne out when the spores are measured only in lateral view.
    discussion According to Reid (1980), the present species is known only in the vicinity of Sydney, New South Wales (Australia).

    Associated vegetation is not reported in the literature available to us.  This species has persistently been misclassified as belonging in section Vaginatae, possibly because of the name the authors' chose for it.  The persistent, powdery volva which remains attached to the cap at maturity and the volva remaining on the margin of the bulb strongly suggest a comparison to Amanita farinosa Schwein. and similar taxa.  After the original publication, various authors seem to convert "marginate" to "limbate or saccate" without providing any reason for the change.  The presence of a bulb (a stem that is not totally elongating) is indicative of proper assignment of Amanita subvaginata to section Amanita.—R. E. Tulloss and L. Possiel
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