Plant 2–3 in. high. Pileus 2–3 broad. Stem 3–4 lines thick. Peck, 33d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
The plant is easily recognized by its large, cup-shaped volva and cap, which is not smooth, as is usual in a species with a persistent membranous volva, more or less scaly with minute tufts of fibrils or tomentose hairs. The gills are white in the fresh plant.
Professor Peck notes the species as quite rare. Numerous specimens occur in the sandy oak woods of New Jersey, and in oak woods near Angora, Philadelphia. July to October.
Care must be taken to determine the absence of an annulus or any trace of one. Tender, delicate, without pronounced flavor. Equal to Amanitopsis vaginata.
A. farino´sa Schw.—covered with farina, meal. Pileus nearly plane, thin, flocculent-pulverulent, widely and deeply striate on the margin, grayish-brown or livid-brown. Gills free, whitish. Stem whitish or pallid, equal, stuffed or hollow, mealy, sub-bulbous, the volva flocculent-pulverulent, evanescent. Spores variable, elliptical ovate or subglobose, 6–8µ long.
Plant about 2 in. high. Pileus 1 in. to 15 lines broad. Stem 1–3 lines thick. July to September.
This is our smallest Amanita (now Amanitopsis). It is neither very common nor very abundant when it does occur. It is described by Schweinitz as “solid,” but I have always found it stuffed or hollow. Peck, 33d Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
A. pusil´la Pk.—small. Pileus thin, broadly convex or nearly plane, subglabrous, slightly umbonate, even on the margin, pale brown. Gills narrow, thin, close, free, becoming brownish. Stem short, hollow, bulbous, the bulb margined by the remains of the membranous volva. Spores broadly elliptical, 5–6×4µ.
Pileus about 1 in. broad. Stem 8–12 lines long, 1–2 lines thick.
Grassy ground. Gouverneur, St. Lawrence county. September. Mrs. Anthony. Peck, 50th Rep. N.Y. State Bot.