I don’t have a perfect memory of what I saw in the material from Kew, but I noticed that Ridley or another author had said the cells appeared incrusted. That would seem to apply to the two images I mentioned in the summary to this comment.

The dark colored cell content is also typical of the species that share distinctive characters with A. nehuta. Amanita farinosa of eastern N. Amer. and Central Amer. being one of the most familiar to me.

R.

P.S. Looking forward to seeing the specimens!

Hi Rod,
I added some images of the inflated cells I found, are these the cells you mean?
The two specimens in the first image are drying and I will save them for you!

Thank you, Michael, for these neat photographs.

When I examined some of the original material of A. nehuta that was deposited in Kew, I found that the inflated cells of the universal veil had what appeared to be warts all over their surfaces. I’m very interested to know if decorated volval cells really occur in all specimens or if I was seeing some sort of artifact of preservation (or something else…). Can you send me one or more documented specimen(s) that matches up to one (or more) of your photographs?

I’m really enjoying seeing the advent of New Zealand amanitas on MO.

Very best,

Rod

Maori Dust Amanita, thats a great common name, this Amanita seems to be quite small, with a pileus 20-45mm in diameter, although the descriptions I have read say 25-65mm in diameter I very rarely see any specimens with a cap 65mm.

this is an amazing looking amanita for section amanita; Rod calls it the Maori Dust Amanita for its powdery gray universal veil…so poetic!