INDIA, Uttarakhand, Rudhraparyag district, Baniyakund, at 2655 m a.s.l., 30°28.998N, 79°10.658E, 26 August 2014, T. Mehmood, TM 14-475 (RET 717-4, holotype; CAL 1611, isotype).

The epithet “tullossiana” (Lat., “of Tulloss”) is proposed in honour of Dr. Rodham E. Tulloss for his contribution to the study of the genus Amanita all over the world.

Distinct from all the known species of Amanita stirps Cinereoconia by the combination of the following characters: medium-sized to large basidiomata (pileus 90–170 mm wide, stipe 150–185 × 20–25 mm); brownish-grey to dark grey pileus covered with floccose to subfelted, pulverulent patches of universal veil remnants; broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid basidiospores measuring (8.5–)9–13(–13.5) × (5.8–)6–8(–8.5) µm.

Basidiomata medium-sized to large. Pileus 90–170 mm wide, initially hemispherical then convex to plano-convex and finally planar, shiny, slightly viscid when moist, ash grey (1B2), pastel grey (1C1), grey (4B1-4C1), brownish-grey, brownish-beige (6F2-3) to dark grey (1F1), slightly darker at centre; context 11–14 mm thick above stipe, white (1A1), thinning evenly toward margin, unchanging when cut or bruised. Universal veil on pileus as floccose to subfelted pulverulent patches, dark grey (1F1) to brownish-grey (6F2), greyish-black to dark grey (1F1), soft, up to 4 mm thick, 7–12 mm wide, irregularly distributed. Lamellae 6–10 mm broad, free to narrowly adnate, crowded, white (1A1), unchanging when injured; lamellulae, plentiful of several lengths, attenuate, truncate, with 8–9 lamellae per cm at margin. Stipe 150–185 × 20–25 mm (excluding bulb), attenuate upwards, upper part covered by dark grey (1F1) fibrils, lower part covered with recurved scales, with fibrils turn blackish when handled; context solid, white, unchanging on cutting or bruising. Partial veil superior, soft, cottony, white, easily collapsed or detachable. Bulb 70–88 × 25–41 mm, napiform to rooting, covered with brownish-grey (6F2) to dark grey (1F1) universal veil remnants, often upper part covered with grey (4B1) to dark grey (1F1) recurving scales. Odour indistinct, taste not observed. Spore deposit white.

Basidiospores [300/15/10] (8.5–)9–13(–13.5) × (5.8–)6–8(–8.5) µm, [L = 9.5–11 µm, L' = 10.54 µm; W = 6–7.5 µm, W' = 6.83 µm; Q = (1.29–)1.40–1.66(–1.83), Q = 1.38–1.59, Q' = 1.54], broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid, hyaline, thin-walled, smooth, amyloid; contents monoguttulate; apiculus lateral to sublateral, up to 1 µm long. Basidia 45–55(–65) × 9–14 µm, 2 to 4-spored, thin-walled; sterigmata up to 4 µm long; basal clamp connections absent. Lamellar edge tissue sterile, mainly composed of inflated globose to subglobose cells 20–35 × 15–25 µm and clavate to subclavate cells 40–50 × 15–18 µm. Subhymenium 40–50 μm thick, with 3–4 layers of inflated cells, w_st-near = 35–50 μm, w_st-far= 50–70 μm, basidia arising from small inflated cells 8–15 × 6–10 μm wide. Hymenophoral trama bilateral, divergent; w_cs= 60–80 μm; well rehydrated, filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 3–8 μm wide; with lateral stratum composed of intercalary inflated cells 66–110 × 12–19 μm wide; vascular hyphae 9–14 μm. Pileipellis 140–195 μm thick, in two layers, with gelatinised colourless suprapellis (45–55 μm) thick, filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae subradially arranged; subpellis (95–140 μm) thick; filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 2–6 μm wide, densely arranged in subpellis, with yellowish-brown intracellular pigment; vascular hyphae 7–10 μm wide, infrequent. Pileus context filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 2–6 μm wide, thin-walled, hyaline, interwoven; broadly clavate to ellipsoid cells 86–130 × 26–45 μm, thin-walled, hyaline. Universal veil on pileus disordered; filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 2–6 μm wide, branched, thin-walled, infrequent to scattered, with pale yellow vacuolar pigments; inflated cells dominantly globose to subglobose 25–88 × 22–70 µm, infrequent broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid or pyriform 40–60 × 10–13 μm, often in chains of 2–3, with brownish to pale yellow vacuolar pigments; vascular hyphae 6–12 μm wide, frequent. Universal veil on stipe base disordered; filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 2–5 μm wide, branched, thin-walled, scattered, with pale yellow vacuolar pigments; inflated cells dominantly globose to subglobose 30–70 × 25–65 µm, infrequent broadly ellipsoid to elongated cells 30–90 × 12–18 μm, with brownish to pale yellow vacuolar pigments; vascular hyphae 10–14 μm wide, often present. Partial veil abundant inflated cells broadly clavate to clavate 50–120 × 16– 29 µm, thin-walled, colourless, hyaline, sometimes with yellowish-brown vacuolar pigments; filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 3–7 µm wide, dominant, thin walled, hyaline, colourless or sometimes with yellowish-brown pigments; vascular hyphae 4–8 μm wide. Stipe context longitudinally acrophysalidic; filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 5–7 µm wide; acrophysalides 150–230 × 35–56 µm, thin-walled, colourless, hyaline, vascular hyphae not found. Clamp connections not observed in any tissues.

Figure 2. 

Basidiomata of Amanita tullossiana in natural habitat (RET 717-4, holotype; CAL 1611, isotype). a–d showing distinctive features of A. tullossiana (universal veil remnants, appendiculate pileus margin and recurved scales on the stipe surface).

Figure 3. 

Microscopic features of Amanita tullossiana (RET 717-4, holotype; CAL 1611, isotype). a Basidiospores b Basidia at different stages of development c Elements of universal veil from pileus surface (vascular hyphae are dark shaded).

5% KOH - negative on pileus, 2% phenol - negative and FeSO4 crystals - negative on pileus and in stipe context.

Solitary to subgregarious in temperate mixed forest dominated by Quercus semicarpifolia and Abies pindrow, at 2350–2655 m a.s.l. Currently only known from India.

INDIA, Uttarakhand, Rudraparyag district, Baniyakund, 26 August 2014, T. Mehmood, TM 14-486 (GUH-M-27001); same location, 14 July 2015, T. Mehmood, TM 15-624 (GUH-M-27002); same location, 1 August 2015, T. Mehmood, TM 15-786 (GUH-M-27003); same location, 2 August 2015, T. Mehmood, TM 15-815 (GUH-M-27004); same location, 8 August 2015, T. Mehmood, TM 15-891 (GUH-M-27005); same location, 30 August 2015, T. Mehmood, TM 15-1017 (GUH-M-27006); same location, 22 July 2016, T. Mehmood, TM 16-1123 (GUH-M-27007); same location, 26 August 2016, T. Mehmood, TM 16-1369 (GUH-M-27008); Nainital district, Mukteshwar 24 August 2016, T. Mehmood, TM 16-1338 (GUH-M-27009).

The grey to brownish-grey universal veil, the absence of clamp connections, disordered inflated cells intermixed with scattered filamentous hyphae, together with broadly ellipsoid to cylindrical basidiospores are the key features of sect. Lepidella stirps Cinereoconia (Bas 1969). Based on the Bas’ key, the new taxon could be placed in Amanita [sect. Lepidella subsect. Solitariae] stirps Cinereoconia.

In stirps Cinereoconia, A. griseofarinosa Hongo, A. lutescens Hongo, A. pelioma Bas, A. odorata Beeli, A. vestita Corner & Bas, A. griseovelata D.A. Reid, A. pallidoflavescens Dav. T. Jenkins and A. viridissima Wartchow are all species that should be compared to the morphology of the present taxon. Amanita griseofarinosa, originally described from Japan, has a pale yellowish-grey pileus covered with dark coloured, farinose to tomentose universal veil remnants; and subglobose to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores 8.5–10 × 7–9 μm, with a lower Q' value = 1.2 (Bas 1969) than the basidiospores of the present taxon. Amanita lutescens, originally described from Japan, differs from A. tullossiana by its small to medium-sized basidiomata 35–60 mm broad, context turning yellowish when cut or bruised and relatively smaller basidiospores 8–10(–10.5) × 5.5–6.5 μm (Bas 1969). Amanita pelioma, originally described from the USA, has a greyish-olive to pale brownish pileus, distinctive brown gills, a volva that bruises a distinctive blue-green and ellipsoid to elongate basidiospores 10–12.5 × 6.5–8 µm, with a higher Q' value = 1.65 (Bas 1969) than in the new species. Amanita odorata, originally described from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has a greyish olivaceous brown pileus, pinkish-white lamellae and elongate to cylindric basidiospores 9.5–13 × 4.5–5.5 µm, with a Q value ranges = 1.55–2.05 (Bas 1969). Amanita vestita, originally described from Singapore, has a pale greyish-white pileus covered with small micaceous umber particles, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid basidiospores 7.5–9 × 5.5–6.5 µm, with a Q value ranges = 1.3–1.35 (Bas 1969) lower than in the new taxon. Amanita griseovelata, originally described from Victoria, Australia, has a slate-grey pileus covered pale grey, felty-pruinose universal veil remnants and subglobose to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores 7–10(–11.5) × 6.8–8.5 μm (Reid 1980). Amanita pallidoflavescens, originally described from the USA, has a white to silvery white pileus and bears elongate to cylindric basidiospores 8.6–10.2 × 4.7–5.5 µm (Jenkins 1980). Amanita viridissima, originally described from Brazil, has a green pileus and stipe, pale lamellae and elongate to cylindric basidiospores 9.8–13 × 5.7–8.3 µm, with a higher Q' value =1.82 (Wartchow 2016).

Amanita cinereopannosa, A. cinereoconia and A. griseoverrucosa are the phylogenetically closely related species to the new species (Fig. 1). However, all of them are distinguished morphologically. Amanita cinereopannosa, originally described from USA, has a white to silvery sheen pileus covered with subfelted to subpyramidal warts, abundant filamentous hyphae and ellipsoid to elongated basidiospores (8–)8.8–10(–14.1) × (4.9–)5–6.7(–8.3) µm (Tulloss and Yang 2018). Furthermore, this species is considered endemic to eastern North America and has not been recorded in other parts of the world (Davison et al. 2013). Bas (1969) clearly held A. cinereopannosa to be distinct from the species of stirps Cinereoconia because he placed it in his stirps Strobiliformis. Amanita cinereoconia, originally described from the USA, has a white to greyish pileus covered with grey, pulverulent to small warted universal veil remnants and bears elongate to cylindric basidiospores 7.8–10.9 × 4.7–6.2 µm, with a Q value = 1.72 (Jenkins 1986). In addition, A. cinereoconia has a peculiar smell like “chloride of lime” [meaning the smell of an outdoor pit toilet into which CaCl₂ has been added; hence, an odour of decaying protein] or faintly of “chlorine” (Bas 1969; Jenkins 1986). Bas proposed a variety croceescens of A. cinereoconia; however, Tulloss had the opportunity to observe the transition of a single specimen from the “type variety” to “var. croceescens” and attributed the yellow colouration to the Amanita “yellowing syndrome” (Tulloss, pers. comm.). Amanita griseoverrucosa, originally described from China and reported here from India (see below), has a dirty white to greyish pileus, verrucose to conical universal remnants, a white to greyish-white stipe, a ventricose to clavate bulb and relatively smaller spores measuring 8–11 × 5.5–7 μm (Yang 2004) in comparison to A. tullossiana 9–13 × 6–8 μm.

Basidiomata medium-sized to large. Pileus 60–125 mm wide, initially hemispherical then convex to plano-convex, dry, slightly viscid when moist, whitish to greyish-white (1B1) to ash grey (1B2) to grey (1D1); context 6–11 mm thick, white (1A1), thinning evenly towards margin, unchanging when cut or bruised. Universal veil on pileus as felted to subconical to verrucose, brownish-grey (1D3), greyish-brown (5F3) to dark grey (1F1), soft, up to 4 mm thick, 5–8 mm wide, irregularly distributed; margin non-striate, appendiculate; Lamellae free to narrowly adnate, crowded, white (1A1), unchanging, 6–10 mm broad; lamellulae attenuate, plentiful, of several lengths, with 7–8 lamellae per cm at margin. Stipe 45–90 × 12–21 mm (excluding bulb), narrowing upwards, solid, lower part covered by light grey (1D1) fibrillose squamules, upper part covered by white farinose squamules; context white, unchanging on cutting or bruising. Bulb 32–62 × 19–32 mm, ventricose to clavate, white, covered with grey (1D1) to dark grey (1F1), universal veil remnants. Partial veil superior, soft, cottony, white, easily collapsed. Odour indistinct, taste not observed. Spore deposit white.

Basidiospores [80/4/2] (8–) 8.5–10(–11) × (5.5–)6 –6.5 (–7) µm, [L =9.05–9.17 µm, L' = 9.11 µm; W = 5.9–6.5 µm, W' = 6.2 µm; Q = (1.32–)1.42–1.5(–1.69), Q = 1.51–1.54, Q' = 1.53], ellipsoid, hyaline, thin walled, smooth, amyloid, apiculus sublateral, up to 1 µm. Basidia (34–)45–50(–53) × (9.5–)10–12(–14) µm, 2 to 4-spored, thin-walled, colourless, hyaline; sterigmata up to 4 µm long; basal clamp connections not observed in any tissue after extensive search. Lamellae edge sterile; composed of clavate or pyriform inflated cells 35–50 × 22–31 μm, thin walled, colourless, hyaline. Subhymenium 35–40 μm thick, w_st-near = 30–40 μm, w_st-far = 40–55 μm, basidia arising from subglobose to broadly ellipsoid cells (11–18 × 8–15 μm). Hymenophoral trama bilateral, divergent; w_cs = 40–60 μm; well rehydrated, filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 3–8 μm wide; inflated cells ellipsoid to elongated 55–90 × 12–19 μm, diverging at an angle of approximately 40°; vascular hyphae 11–14 μm wide, infrequent. Pileipellis 130–150 μm thick, subradially to densely arranged, filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 2–7 μm wide; vascular hyphae 7–10 μm wide, infrequent. Universal veil on pileus disordered; filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 2–7 μm wide, scattered, branched, thin walled; inflated cells dominantly globose to subglobose 40–70 × 30–65 µm, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid 40–60 × 10–13 μm, often in chain of 2–3 cells, thin walled, hyaline, often with yellowish-brown vascular pigment. Universal veil on base of stipe disordered; filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 3–8 μm wide, scattered, thin walled, branched, with brownish vacuolar pigments; inflated cells dominantly globose to subglobose 30–65 × 26–58 µm, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid or pyriform 26–55 × 8–13 μm, thin-walled, hyaline, with brownish vacuolar pigment. Partial veil abundant inflated cells clavate to broadly clavate 76–130 × 13–25 µm, thin walled, colourless, hyaline or brownish vacuolar pigments; filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 3–5 µm wide. Stipe context longitudinally acrophysalidic, filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 5–7 µm wide; acrophysalides 220–270 × 33–45 µm, filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 4–8 µm wide, hyaline, vascular hyphae not found. Clamp connections not observed in any tissue.

Figure 4. 

Basidiomata of Amanita species. a, b Basidiomata of A. griseoverrucosa in natural habitat (TM 16-1228) c, b Basidiomata of A. virgineoides in natural habitat (TM 14-413).

Figure 5. 

Microscopic features of Amanita species. a, b Amanita griseoverrucosa (TM 16-1247) a Basidiospores b Elements of universal veil from pileus surface c, d Amanita virgineoides (TM 14-413) c Basidiospores d Elements of universal veil from pileus surface.

Solitary to gregarious, with plants of Fagaceae, Pinaceae and Ericaceae (Rhododendron arboretum).

Currently known from China (Yang 2004, 2015) and now India.

INDIA, Uttarakhand, Pauri district, Phedkhal, at 1900 m a.s.l., 30°09.728'N, 078°51.206'E, 29 July 2016, T. Mehmood, TM 16-1228 (GUH-M-27010); same location, 26 August 2015, T. Mehmood, TM-15-971 (GUH-M-27011), 1910 m a.s.l., 30°09.732'N, 078°51.214'E.

Morphologically, the Indian collections of A. griseoverrucosa are characterised by a whitish to greyish-white pileus covered with easily detachable greyish-brown to dark grey, felted to verrucose universal veil remnants, a ventricose to clavate stipe base, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid basidiospores, universal veil on the pileus with abundant inflated cells and scattered filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae and the absence of clamp connections at bases of basidia. The characteristic features and molecular data from the Indian collections match rather well with the original description of A. griseoverrucosa, reported from China (Yang 2004).

The absence of clamp connections at the bases of basidia, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid basidiospores and abundant inflated cells with scattered hyphae in the universal veil placed this species in Amanita [sect. Lepidella subsect. Solitariae] stirps Cinereoconia (Yang 2004). Phylogenetically, both Indian (TM 16-1228) and Chinese (HKAS 38459) collections of A. griseoverrucosa are closely related to A. cinereoconia and A. tullossiana (Fig. 1). Amanita cinereoconia has a white to greyish pileus covered with pulverulent to small warted universal veil remnants and elongate to cylindric basidiospores 8.5–11.5 × 5–6.5 µm (Bas 1969, Jenkins 1986). Amanita griseoverrucosa is also distinguished from Amanita tullossiana (see above).

Basidiomata medium-sized to large. Pileus 50–140 mm wide, white to slightly yellowish-white (1A2) with age, ovoid at first, hemispherical when expanding, later convex to plano-convex to flat; slightly depressed, dry, shiny, densely covered with conical to subconcal warts; margin appendiculate, incurved; context 8–13 mm thick, thinning evenly towards margin, white, turning yellowish-white (1A2) when cut or bruised. Universal veil on pileus as conical, subconic to pyramidal warts, 5–10 mm thick, white, easily detachable when touched, sometimes washed away by rains, turning slightly yellowish-white (1A2) with age. Lamellae 12–15 mm thick, free, white (17A1) crowded, with 8–9 lamellae per cm at margin; lamellulae attenuate, of 4–5 lengths, plentiful, white to cream. Stipe 75–140 × 26–22 mm (excluding bulb), white (16A1), slightly tapering upwards, the upper part covered by flocculent squamules, the lower part covered by irregularly arranged, conical to sub-conical warts; context white, solid, turning light yellowish (1A3) when cut or bruised. Bulb 23–29 × 23–30 mm, subglobose, ovoid to napiform, white, slightly yellowish-white with age. Universal veil on stipe base as white conical to subconical warts. Partial veil superior, white, submembranous, thick, covered with white conical warts, fragile, easily detachable when touched. Odour unpleasant. Taste not recorded. Spore print white.

Basidiospores [180/9/4] (7.5–)8–10.5(–11) × (5.5–)5.8–7.5 µm, [L = 8–10 µm, L' = 9.05 µm; W = 6.0–6.7 µm, W' = 6.45 µm; Q = (1.22–)1.33–1.55(–1.66), Q = 1.33–1.46, Q' = 1.41], colourless, hyaline, thin walled, smooth, amyloid, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid; apiculus lateral to sublateral, up to 1 µm long; contents monoguttulate. Basidia (42–)48–51(–58) × (10–)11–12(–12.5) µm, 2 to 4-spored, thin-walled, colourless, hyaline; sterigmata up to 4 µm long; basal septa often clamped. Lamellar edge tissue sterile, with inflated cells; subglobose to pyriform 15–25 × 8–15) μm, thin walled, colourless, hyaline, clamps present. Subhymenium 30 µm thick, w_st-near = 28–45 μm, w_st-far= 35–50 μm, ramose, with inflated; ovoid to ellipsoid cells 12–18 × 8–14 μm; clamp present. Hymenophoral trama, bilateral, divergent; w_cs= 40–65 μm; lateral stratum comprising of inflated intercalary segment 30–65 × 8–20 μm, common; filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 3–9 μm wide, thin-walled, colourless, hyaline, vascular hyphae rare; clamp present. Pileipellis hardly differentiated; filamentous hyphae 2–7 μm wide, interwoven, non-gelatinised, thin walled, colourless, hyaline. Universal veil on the pileus with elements anticlinally arranged; filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 4–8 μm wide, abundant, branched, colourless, hyaline; inflated cells dominantly subglobose to pyriform 16–46 × 14–32 μm, broadly ellipsoid to fusiform 30–66 × 10–21 μm; clamp present. Universal veil on the stipe base with elements anticlinally arranged; filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 4–7 µm wide, scattered to abundant, colourless, thin walled, hyaline; inflated cells dominantly globose to subglobose 20–50 × 18– 48 µm, broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid 45–65 × 15–20 µm, thin walled, hyaline, colourless, clamps present. Partial veil abundant inflated cells subglobose to ellipsoid 15–36 × 12–28 μm, thin walled, colourless, hyaline; filamentous, undifferentiated hyphae 3–8 µm wide, dominant, colourless, thin walled, clamps present. Stipe context longitudinally acrophysalidic; filamentous hyphae 2–13 μm wide, acrophysalides measuring 120 –181 × 20–30 μm, dominant, colourless, thin walled, hyaline, clamps present. Clamp connections common.

Chemical reactions on pileus surface: 10% NH₄OH - pinkish, 5% KOH - negative, 2% phenol - negative; and FeSO₄ crystals - negative on pileus and stipe context.

Solitary to subgregarious in temperate mixed forest dominated by Quercus leucotrichophora and Cedrus deodara at 1850–2050 m a.s.l.

Known distribution: This species was originally described from Japan. It has also been reported from China (Yang 1997), South Korea (Kim et al. 1993), Thailand (Sanmee et al. 2008) and now India.

INDIA, Uttarakhand, Pauri district, Phedkhal, 24 August 2014, T. Mehmood, TM 14-413 (RET 717-9); same location, 12 August 2015, T. Mehmood, TM 15-917 (GUH-M-27012); same location, 16 July 2016, T. Mehmood, TM 16-1098 (GUH-M-27013); same location, 24 July 2017, T. Mehmood, TM 17-1468 (GUH-M-27014).

An Indian collection (RET 717-9) is grouped phylogenetically with Chinese material of A. virgineoides (HKAS 79691, GenBank nrLSU: KJ466495 and HKAS 77278, GenBank nrLSU: KC429043), with pairwise genetic divergence between their nrLSU sequences = 0.35% (might be intragenomic heterogeneity present amongst collections as the sequence was not clean). It is worth mentioning that there is no genetic distance between rpb2 sequences derived from the Chinese (HKAS 79691, GenBank rpb2: KJ466663) and Indian (RET 717-9) collections. The evidence suggests that the two collections could be conspecific and exhibiting a minor intra-specific variability. In addition, the sample size is also small. For these reasons, we do not feel justified in erecting a new species or subspecies. Interestingly, another Chinese collection (HKAS 18394), labelled as A. virgineoides (GenBank nrLSU: AF024484, Weiß et al. 1998), is also grouped with the Indian collection, but the sequence derived from this collection is divergent from the two previously cited collections (Fig. 1). However, the habit and size of the basidiomata and basidiospores of the Indian collections match well with those characters in the descriptions of A. virgineoides provided by Bas (1969) and Yang (1997, 2015). Therefore, the Indian collection (RET 717-9) is being treated here as A. virgineoides – a new record for India.

Amanita virgineoides belongs to Amanita [sect. Lepidella subsect. Solitariae] stirps Virgineoides because of the presence of conical to subconical warts on the pileus surface which consist of inflated cells rather abundant hyphae, the presence of clamp connections at the bases of basidia and the broadly ellipsoid basidiospores (Bas 1969, Yang 1997). In stirps Virgineoides, A. gracilior Bas & Honrubia and A. miculifera Bas & Hatanaka resemble A. virgineoides morphologically. Amanita gracilior, originally described from Spain, has a white pileus turning yellowish-brown with age, a rooting base and elongate basidiospores 10–11.5 × 5.5–6.5 µm, with a higher Q' value = 1.8 (Bas 1969). Amanita miculifera, originally described from Japan, has a pearl grey pileus and a stipe with a notably radicating basal bulb (Bas and Hatanaka 1984, Yang 1997). The white basidiomata of A. virgineoides also resembles the basidiomata of other of Bas’ stirpes. In creating these stirpes, Bas morphologically segregated these taxa from A. virgineoides (Bas 1969).