*Key created by Logan Borosch*

HOW TO ID TO SPECIFIC SUBGENERA AND SECTIONS

**Please keep in mind that different environmental factors, age, etc. can change how features may present themselves. This key is meant to represent fresh specimens**

*There is a glossary at the bottom of the key to explain any unknown words used in the key*

Subgenera:

Subgenus Amanita:

- striate margin, might be faint in certain species

- INAMYLOID spores

Subgenus Amanitina:

- no or faintly striate margin

- AMYLOID spores

Subgenus Lepidella (Saproamanita):

- also does not have striate margin, might be faintly striate

- AMYLOID spores

- Saprobic Amanita

Sections (subgenus Amanita):

sect. Vaginatae:

- HAS a striate margin

usually very long and strongly striate,

- HAS a saccate volva

not as wide as Caesareae; more narrow and taller (tube-like)

- USUALLY does NOT have a partial veil

stirps Strobilaceovolvata is annulate. other annulate species include: annulata, arctica, annulatovaginata, and lactea.

- does NOT have an appendiculate margin

- does NOT have a basal bulb

sect. Caesareae:

- HAS a striate margin

usually very long and strongly striate

- HAS a saccate volva

volva usually wide and round in the chunkier species
volva usually more tube-like (like Vaginatae) in stirps Hemibapha and the other more “slender caesars”

- HAS a partial veil

- does NOT have an appendiculate margin

- does NOT have a basal bulb

- stirps Hemibapha will usually have brightly coloured limbus internus remnants on the stipe

sect. Amanita:

- HAS a striate to faintly/shortly striate margin

can often be tuberculate

- does NOT have a saccate volva

except a very few according to Tulloss, ex: A. diemii

- MOSTLY HAS a partial veil

- does NOT have an appendiculate margin

EXCEPT: A. wellsii, austrowellsii, diemii

- does have a basal bulb

frequently has basal rings (commonly seen in muscarioids) or booted bases (seen in the pantherinoids and gemmatoids)

sect. Amarrendiae:

- outgroup

- SHORT or NO striations on margin

- does NOT have an appendiculate margin

- does NOT have a saccate volva

- MOSTLY has a partial veil

- has some secotioid species, such as A. grandis, inculta, and pseudoinculta

Sections (subgenus Lepidella):

sect. Lepidella:

- NO or FAINTLY striate margin

- HAS an appendiculate margin

- does NOT have a saccate volva

- USUALLY HAS a partial veil

often flimsy or lost

- MAY have a slight broadening of the stipe in place of a basal bulb

- SAPROBIC

Sections (subgenus Amanitina):

sect. Roanokenses:

- most of what was in sect. Lepidella that is NOT saprobic.

- NO or FAINTLY striate margin

- HAS an appendiculate margin

- does NOT have a saccate volva

subsect Limbatulae has long volval limbs, which can resemble a saccate volva

- USUALLY HAS a partial veil

often flimsy or lost

- HAS a basal bulb

Often large

sect. Amidella:

- Non- to strongly, faintly, or shortly striate margin

- HAS an appendiculate margin

- HAS a saccate volva

Often very thick
May have brick red stains

- MAY have a weakly structured annulus or has NO annulus

- does NOT a basal bulb

sect. Phalloideae:

- does NOT have a striate margin

- does NOT have an appendiculate margin

- HAS a saccate volva

- HAS a partial veil

- HAS a basal bulb

may be slight in A. mediinox

- Stirps Hesleri and Stirps Levistriata have an overall Roanokenses-like appearance; meaning they will lack a saccate volva, and will have an appendiculate margin

sect. Validae:

- NO or FAINTLY striate margin

- does NOT have an appendiculate margin

A. silvicola does have an appendiculate margin and has an overall sect Roanokenses-like appearance

- does NOT have a saccate volva

- HAS a partial veil

- HAS a basal bulb

- contains the popular rubescent species

sect. Strobiliformes:

- some of what was in sect. Lepidella that is NOT saprobic

does NOT have a striate margin

- HAS an appendiculate margin

- does NOT have a saccate volva

- HAS a partial veil

- HAS a basal bulb

Often large

- most species have grey universal veil remnants

sect. Arenariae:

- outgroup

- limited information

- contains some secotioid species

GLOSSARY:

Amyloid spores: has a bluish/black colour change when mounted in an iodine-based reagent for microscopy, such as Melzer’s reagent.

Inamyloid spores: does not have a colour change when mounted in an iodine-based reagent.

Margin: the very edge of the cap.

Striate margin: has striations (grooves) on the margin.

Tuberculate margin: has bumps on the striations

Stipe: the stem or stalk of the mushroom

Annulate: has an annulus (partial veil, ring, skirt).

Exannulate: does not have an annulus.

Appendiculum: universal veil tissue hanging off the margin/

Appendiculate: has appendiculum on the margin.

Universal veil (UV): a layer of tissue that covers the entire mushroom during early stages of growth. eventually breaks as growth continues.

Universal veil remnants: remnants of the UV; can be found on the cap, bottom of stipe, or as a saccate volva.

Volva: remainder of the universal veil found and the bottom of the stipe.

Saccate volva: a cup-like volva on the bottom of the stipe.

Basal bulb: a bulb at the base of the stipe

Secotioid: a growth form between gills/pores and closed bag-shaped gasteroid fungi.

Limbus internus remnants: remnants of the internal limb of the volva present during growth. Leaves “chevrons” on the stipe.