Amanita submembranacea

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

Similar to Amanita ceciliae but usually retaining a volva, this smallish and fairly dark grisette occurs in association with fir, birch, larch and spruce. Amanita submembranacea was originally described from France and is now known to occur in most European countries, from Norway right down to the Mediterranean.

Amanita submembranacea is a rare find in Britain and Ireland, and it is also rather uncommon in mainland Europe, most often being found in acid areas.

In young specimens the cap margin noticeably paler than the rest of the cap, but this feature is not always retained as the caps expand fully. The most obvious distinguishing feature of this mushroom is its leathery, brittle volva, which has resulted in it being referred to as the 'Peeling Paint Ringless Amanita' by some authors.

Identification guide

Cap	Olivaceous brown; the margin marked with strong radial lines; sometimes with irregular grey veil fragments mainly in centre; convex, eventually flattening; 6 to 10cm across.
Gills	Creamy white, turning grey or brownish with age; free, with many short gills unevenly distributed; only moderately crowded.
Stem	Pale grey, with scales in a regular zig-zag pattern; no ring; 8 to 15cm long, 1 to 2cm dia.; slightly swollen stem base with a thin, leathery (submembranous) white bag-like volva that greys and hardens, its surface looking like flakes of dull grey paint on a canvas background.
Spore print	White.
Odour/taste	Not distinctive.
Habitat	Found in coniferous forests and occasionally under birches.
Season	July to October.
Occurrence	Infrequent.
Similar species	Amanita virosa is similar but has a smooth stem without a snakeskin pattern. Amanita ceciliae has an olivaceous fawn cap with a pale margin; its volva is substantial rather than thin and leathery.