2013
SP9208 : Amanita citrina - The False Death Cap
taken 11 years ago, near to Buckland Common, Buckinghamshire, England
Amanita citrina - The False Death Cap
The Amanita genus contains several of the most deadly of all fungi most notably the infamous Death Cap (Amanita phalloides) and the equally evil, but innocent-looking Destroying Angel (Amanita virosa). I am pretty sure that this fungus is in fact Amanita citrina, the "False Death Cap" , though it could be an unusually pale true Death Cap (though usually a sickly olive green, the caps can be yellowish or cream). Either way I wasn't going to pick it to make a closer examination. Note the shiny appearance of the cap, this is typical of many of the Amanitas; I once found a young phalloides that had such a metallic sheen that it looked like a steel ball bearing.
Most noticeable about this particular fungus is the excessively bulbous base to its stem. The (true) Death Cap and the Destroying Angel both emerge from an egg sack which remains as a bag-like "volva" at the base of the stem, whereas this fungus seems to have a more solid and substantial swelling than a sack.
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