The False Deathcap (Amanita citrina) is one of the commonest Amanitas in British woods. Its pale yellow to whitish cap is scattered with flat patches of veil, and the free gills are white to pale yellow. The pale stem carries a hanging ring near the top and ends in a large, rounded bulb with a distinct rim. A strong smell of raw potato is the best clue.
It grows with both conifers and broadleaf trees, especially beech, from July into November, and is very common and widespread. An all-white form, var. alba, also occurs.
Despite its name, it is no safe stand-in. The deadly Deathcap (Amanita phalloides) has a greenish-olive cap and a loose, bag-like volva rather than a rimmed bulb, and the white form can be mistaken for the Destroying Angel (Amanita virosa). The False Deathcap is not one of the deadly species, but it must never be eaten.
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Distribution
Very common and widespread
Habitat
In both conifer and broadleaved woodland although the var. alba seems to prefer Fagus
Etymology
Amanita is thought to come from Mount Amanus in southern Turkey, though its origin is uncertain. citrina is Latin for 'lemon-yellow', after the cap.
Cap
The cap is 5-12 cm across, rounded then flattening, in pale to bright yellow or whitish. It is covered with numerous flattened plaques of white veil, which stay conspicuous.
| Colour | |
|---|---|
| Shape | Convex, Flattened |
| Width | 5 - 12 cm |
Gills
Free and crowded; white to pale yellow.
| Colour | |
|---|---|
| Attachment | Free |
| Spacing | crowded |
Flesh
White and soft.
| Odour | Strong fresh potato |
|---|---|
| Taste | Mild |
Stem
Hanging ring near the top; the base swells into a large, rounded bulb with a distinct rim where the volva joins it.
| Colour | |
|---|---|
| Height | 4 - 12 cm |
| Width | 5 - 20 mm |
| Texture | Smooth |
| Shape | Bulbous |
| Veil | pendant |
| Veil position | apical |
Spores
| Colour | |
|---|---|
| Shape | Subglobose |
| Ornamentation | Smooth |
| Size | 7.5-11 x 7-10 μm |
Classification
- ↳ Phylum: Basidiomycota
- ↳ Subphylum: Agaricomycotina
- ↳ Class: Agaricomycetes
- ↳ Subclass: Agaricomycetidae
- ↳ Order: Agaricales
- ↳ Family: Amanitaceae
- ↳ Genus: Amanita
Synonyms
- Amanita citrina Pers.
- Amanita citrina Schaeff.S.F. Gray
Reference Sources
T. Læssøe, J. H. Peterson (2019) Fungi of Temperate Europe Vol. 1. Princeton University Press.
G. Kibby (2020) Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain & Europe Vol. 2. Geoffrey Kibby.
G. Kibby (2016) The Genus Amanita in Britain. Geoffrey Kibby.
