GILL FUNGI 7 



only the young plants can then be told with certainty from Lepiota. Amanita 

 contains practically all the deadly poisonous species of the gill fungi. Although 

 several species are edible, in particular, Cesar's mushroom, the danger of mistaking 

 a poisonous Amanita for an edible one is so great that everyone should take the 

 greatest pains to avoid eating any Amanita whatsoever, and especially mistaking 

 it in the young button stage for a puffball, or in old age for a L e p i o t a. 

 The ancient name for some mushroom. 



Figure 1. Amanita phalloides 

 Deadly! 



Key to the Species 



1. Cap typically white, rarely yellowish to olive or brown- 



ish ; volva with more or less of a free border 



2. Cap white or buff-brown; volva merely of scales 



3. Cap usually bright orange, red or yellow ; volva sack- 



like or merely of scales 

 a. Volva large and sack-like, white ; all other parts 

 yellow or orange 



A. phalloides 

 A. split aria 



A . caesarca 



