Amanita ceciliae - Snakeskin Grisette

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

Less common but hardly less glamorous than Amanita crocea, the Orange Grisette, the Snakeskin Grisette is mycorrhizal with hardwoods and conifers. Amanita cecilae (syn. Amanita inaurata and Amanita strangulata) is an uncommon find in Britain and Ireland but widespread in most of mainland Europe.

At maturity the caps usually flatten completely, retaining irregular grey veil fragments. (In West Wales on our forays we rarely see more than one or two of these mushrooms per year, but we will look out for a mature specimen to add to this page.)

This mushroom is known to be poisonous.

Identification guide

	Cap Olivaceous fawn, darkest at the centre, margin much paler, especially in immature specimens; margin with strong radial lines; irregular grey veil fragments mainly in cap centre; convex, eventually flattening; 6 to 12cm across. Gills Creamy white, greying with age; free, with many short gills; not very crowded.
	Stem Pale grey background, surface developing snakeskin pattern of grey-brown scales; no ring; 8 to 17cm long, 1 to 2cm dia.; stem base not swollen.
	Volva The bag-like white volva soon collapses leaving patches on stem base.
Spore print	White.
Odour/taste	Not significant .
Habitat	In mixed woodland. .
Season	August to November.
Occurrence	Infrequent.
Similar species	Amanita vaginata has a smoothish stem without a snakeskin pattern. Amanita fulva has a tawny-orange cap and white gills. Amanita crocea is orange and has a snakeskin-like pattern on its stem.