| Amanita ananiceps | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Amanitaceae |
| Genus: | Amanita |
| Species: | A. ananiceps |
| Binomial name | |
| Amanita ananiceps | |
Amanita ananiceps is a species ofagaric fungus in the familyAmanitaceae native to Australia.
The species was initially described in 1844 by English naturalistMiles Joseph Berkeley asAgaricus (Amanita) ananaeceps, the specimen having been collected byRonald Campbell Gunn in 1805 in Tasmania.[1] Italian mycologistPier Andrea Saccardo placed it in the genusAmanita in 1887.[2] Australian mycologistAlec Wood spelt its species nameananaeceps in his 1997 monograph of AustralianAmanita.[3] Within the genusAmanita, it is in the subgenusLepidella, sectionLepidella and subsectionSolitariae.[3] It is possibly the same species asAmanita farinacea, and if so,farinacea takes precedence.[4]
The fruit body has a white or cream cap, which is convex and rounded when young and opening out and flattening to flat-convex or flat to around 8 centimetres (3 inches) in diameter. It is covered in large irregular patches of the veil, also coloured cream.[3] These often hang over the edge of the cap and fragments can litter the ground near the mushrooms.[4] The crowded white gills are free. The stipe is up to 12 cm (4+1⁄2 in) high and 2 cm wide. The fragile ring is often present in younger mushrooms, but falls off. The swollen base of the stipe is smooth.[3] The flesh is white and has a mealy smell.[4]
Under a microscope, thespores are oval-shaped and measure 8.1–12.9 by 6.3–9.9μm and are stronglyamyloid.[3]
A. ananiceps has been recorded from New South Wales, Tasmania,[3] and Western Australia.[4] It is found ineucalypt forest.[4]
The edibility is unknown, but is possibly poisonous.[4]
