Amanita xanthocephala
Amanita xanthocephala is a smaller version of the fairy-tale mushroom Amanita muscaria but with a red to orange-yellow cap, yellow warts on its cap, no ring and a rough, yellow margin at the top of the volva. Its common name is Vermilion Amanita.
The cap is 1.5-3cm diameter, with the colour ranging from red to orange to yellow. White to yellow-orange warts on cap, concentrated in centre. Convex but later flattening out; slightly viscid; usually covered with pieces of white volva. The cap margin is striate (furrowed). The gills are white to lemon yellow, and are free to adnexed (partially attached).
The stem is between 2-6 cm long. White or pale yellow, thin and cylindrical with a swollen base. Teh stem flash is Fibrillose with fine white scales.
The volva is White with a yellow to orange floccose (having cottony scales) rim.
Unlike most Amanitas, Amanita xanthocephala usually has no ring.
There is no smell. The spores are 7-11 x 8-9 µm sub-globose, smooth with a prominent apiculus, nonamyloid. Spore print white. Basidia with four spores.
It's found on soil amongst litter in native forests, and has been sighted by us infrequently in the Sydney area.
| Amanita xanthocephala | - Amanita xanthocephala, NSW, Sydney, West Pymble, Gloucester Avenue Fire trial, Lane Cove Natoinal Park on sandy soil in | |
| Amanita xanthocephala | - Amanita xanthocephala NSW, Sydney, West Pymble, Gloucester Avenue Fire trial, Lane Cove National Park on sandy soil in E | |
| Amanita xanthocephala | - Amanita xanthocephala, including emerging cap, Beaumont Road Killara in soil heavily wood mulched, remnant iron bark com | |
