Amanita

SheffieldLass · #1 (**permalink**) 28-07-2009, 05:23 PM

I found this near oak in warm sunny acid heathy grassland at woodland edge. Cap size 50mm dia. Not in very good condition. Volva disintegrating into lumps, but ring very evident. Cap partly demolished by slugs ...
Spore size (10.2) 10.6-13.3 (16.1) x (6.0) 6.5-7.7 (8.5)um, Qav 1.7 Smell of rotting fungus

masking any fresh smell ....

spores

basidia

volva

I'd be interested to see what others key it to, see if it matches what I came to ....

Melanie

P.S. that should read normally warm sunny sheltered spot but at the moment rather wet ....

mollisia · #2 (**permalink**) 28-07-2009, 06:09 PM

Hi Melanie,

Amanita eliae.
Very fragile volva, cap striation like a Amanitopsis, colour of the cap and a +/- evanescent ring - no doubt in my opinion.

best regards,
Andreas

SheffieldLass · #3 (**permalink**) 28-07-2009, 06:36 PM

Thanks Andreas .. that is what I came to also, but it is rare in Britain and Yorkshire is the farthest north it has been found, and I think on only one occasion .. this one was Yorkshire so I was very wary to put forward the name ...

The specimen is a bit too far gone to keep, though I've put it out to dry, I'm always the optimist ...

Melanie

mollisia · #4 (**permalink**) 28-07-2009, 06:46 PM

Hi Melanie,

try to keep it as herbarium specimen nevertheless. This species has a high Q-value, as far as I remember, may be one of the highest in all Amanitas. So the spores alone rule out most of Amanita species and together with your fotos the finding should be documented well enough to stand criticism

best regards,
Andreas

FungiJus · #5 (**permalink**) 29-07-2009, 12:40 PM

Hi Andreas,

Better to ask a silly question than to make a silly mistake, so....to the uninitiated, what is a Q value?

J.

FungiJus · #6 (**permalink**) 29-07-2009, 12:49 PM

It's alright, I am with you now, I just did a quick google and came up with this.

Help with fugi Id please.

J.

mollisia · #7 (**permalink**) 29-07-2009, 08:35 PM

Hello,

sorry, not a good behavior to not explain terms, I apology!

The Q-value is the value you recieve when you divide the spore length with the spore width (of course the same with other subjects, not restricted to spores). It is a tool to show the form of the spore and especially is used when you have species with short elliptical and others with broad elliptical spores. Then the range of length and width may overlap for a good part, but the Q-value will show you which is the long-elliptical one and which one is broadly elliptical.
Only spores that lay exactly on the side are to be measured and the length and width always have to be measured from the same spore. Measuring 20 spores should do.

best regards,
Andreas

FungiJus · #8 (**permalink**) 29-07-2009, 10:14 PM

No need to apologise Andreas - and thanks for the explanation. I'm surprised that I haven't come across this term before, although this is probably due to the fact that I haven't really got into microscopy yet.
Something to do with three small boys taking up all my time...