When: 2008-05-14
Collection location: Oak Bottom Campground, Siskiyou Co., California, USA [Click for map]
Who: John Harlan (harlanx6)
No herbarium specimen

Notes: This is a comparison of the spring fruiting Amanitas found @ Oak Bottom.
The largest is a small spring coccora, then ( I believe) a destroying angel, then a panther, then 2 gemmed-panther complex mushrooms. All but the coccora have a bulbous base with a tight vulva. The coccora has a yellow cap with a large patch of white veil material which peals off easily revealing the whole cap to be cream to bright yellow. Some specimens are paler than others, and a small, pale specimen would resemble an ocreata, but the veil material and the vulva are distinctive on the coccora. When the mushrooms have fruited out for a couple of days the identification becomes more difficult. The angels discolr slightly and the coccoras fade to a tan color with the veil patch on the cap resembling white paint. When the coccoras are fresh, the veil patch is thick and spongy. Fresh spring coccoras have no discernable odor or taste raw. After a couple of days they have a sort of fishy odor. The destroying angels are pure white inside and out when fresh. If you cannot recognize these differences the mushroom MUST be discarded. I am only certain of identification of the coccora, which we have been eating in various dishes for a couple of weeks without effect.

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Proposed Name		User		Community Vote
Amanita sp		harlanx6		(1)
Recognized by sight Used references: David Arora

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Comments:  Add Comment

Created: 2008-05-14 14:28:53 By: debbie viess (amanitarita) Summary: nice comparison, John. Ocreata has a saccate volva, that can flare from the base, or collapse against the stipe. I have also noticed that ocreata also has hollow chambers in the stem when you cut it in half, as opposed to uniformly hollow and stuffed with pith. They can also have yellowish, in part, or tan caps, especially in the center. BTW, it’s volva not vulva. ;)

Observation created: Wed May 14 13:08:22 -0700 2008
Last modified: Wed May 14 13:33:34 -0700 2008
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