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Amanita strobiliformis (Paul. ex. Vitt.) Bertillon
"European Pine Cone Lepidella"

Amanita strobiliformis Amanita strobiliformis from Bas' 1969 thesis on sect. Lepidella
Jan Borovicka - Czech Republic

Technical description (t.b.d.)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The cap of Amanita strobiliformis is (50-) 70 - 150 (-220) mm wide, convex to plano-convex, sometimes with a flattened center, white to pale gray or pale brownish gray, with a nonsulcate, appendiculate margin. Thick remnants of white to pale gray or brownish gray, (sub)floccose-felted volva form crusts, patches, or coarse, shapeless, to truncate-subpyramidal warts.

The gills are white to cream, crowded, and moderately broad. The short gills are obliquely truncate to attenuate.

The stem is 80 - 180 (-220) x 16 - 30 (-40) mm, about equal, mostly thickset, white, flocculose, with subfloccose-felted volval remnants forming one or more ridges, or rows of rather coarse, mostly shapeless warts. An apical annulus may be present at first, but it is soft, fragile, and evanescent. The stipe has a basal bulb that can be rather large (up to 80 x 50 mm).

The spores measure 10 - 13.5 (-14.5) x 7 - 8.5 (-9.5) µm and are amyloid and ellipsoid to elongate. Clamps are absent at bases of basidia.

This species is known from Europe (at least as far north as England and the Netherlands) and the Mediterranean region. It was originally depicted from material that was probably French and originally described from Italy. The name has been misapplied around the world to a variety of other species.  According to Borovička (2006), the species often occurs co-located with A. solitaria (Bull.:Fr.) Fr. in association with Tilia in the Czech Republic.

Bas proposed the stirps Strobiliformis containing the present species as well as A. cinereopannosa Bas and A. centunculus Corner & Bas. Amanita marginata Dav. T. Jenkins was later added by its author. -- R. E. Tulloss

Photos: upper left, courtesy of F. Massart (southern France); lower center, courtesy of Jan Borovička (Czech Republic).
Drawing: Dr. C. Bas (1969) (reproduced by courtesy of Persoonia, Leiden, the Netherlands)

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Last changed 21 July 2008.
This page is maintained by R. E. Tulloss.
Copyright 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 by Rodham E. Tulloss.
Photograph copyright 2004 by Francis Massart.
Photograph copyright 2006 by Jan Borovička.
Drawing copyright 1969 by Persoonia.