Some interesting species of genus Amanita from western Himalayas
Abstract
Family Amanitaceae contains more than 600 species which are world wide in distribution (Kirk et al., 2008). In the present investigations, four species including a new species are described from Western Himalayas. The proposed new species is characterized by having pileus 3 – 9 cm in diameter, globose to convex when young, plane at maturity, moist to subviscid, shiny, smooth, olivaceous brown when young, fades with age, colour more deeper in the center, margin regular, incurved, non striated, appendiculate, cuticle easily separable from the flesh. Pileus flesh white, unchanging on cutting and bruising. Lamellae up to 0.7 cm in breadth, thin, free, crowded edges entire. Stipe 7.0 – 11.0 cm long, 1.5 – 2.5 cm diameter, fleshy, central, cylindrical. Annular veil white, cottony, covering the lamellae in the younger sporocarps, leaving a ring at the apex of stipe. Volva thick, saccate, large, white, having brownish tinge. This species is quite close to A. phalloides except the spore shape. Amanita muscaria var. flavivolvata (Singer) Jenkins is characterized by yellow remnants of the volva on the cap and evanescent annular ring. The mushroom is uncommon in the region. It is poisonous/hallucinogenic in nature and is not consumed. A. citrine (Schiff) S.F. Gray is characterized by pale lemon yellow cap and stipe, rounded base and habitat in coniferous and deciduous woods. Amanita fulva (Schaeff.) ex Pers. is very close to A. vaginata (Bull. ex Fr.) Vitt. in morphological features.
