Amanita xanthocephala
Encyclopedia
The vermilion grisette, also known as pretty grisette or vermilion Amanita (Amanita xanthocephala) is a colourful mushroom
of the genus Amanita
. However, although it is often referred to by the common name "grisette", it is not closely related to other edible species that carry this common name, such as Amanita vaginata and Amanita fulva
. It belongs to the same group of Amanita as A. muscaria
and is reported to be toxic.
It derives its specific epithet xanthocephala from the Greek
xanthos/ξανθοѕ "yellow" and kephale/κεφαλη "head".
It is a ringless mushroom with a yellowish- to reddish-orange cap
up to 3–5 cm (1–2 in) in diameter, with deeper colour toward the centre, and paler similar-coloured warts. The gills and slim ringless stipe
are pale yellow or white. The white volva
has a neat outturned lip and is often bordered with orange or yellow.
Amanita xanthocephala lives in an ectomycorrhizal relationship with Eucalyptus
. It is found in eucalypt
forests in the southwest of Western Australia
, as well as southeastern Australia from near Adelaide
around to Southeast Queensland
.
At one stage this fungus was known as Amanitopsis pulchella, a small genus that all grisettes (ringless Amanita species) were placed in. However, this genus has been later sunk back into Amanita. Unlike most ringless Amanita, which are part of Amanita section Vaginatae (A. vaginata and allies), A. xanthcephala belongs to Amanita section Amanita (A. muscaria and allies). http://pluto.njcc.com/~ret/amanita/species/fulva.html
There is one report of a person being quite ill after tasting a small piece of it in 1997.
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
of the genus Amanita
Amanita
The genus Amanita contains about 600 species of agarics including some of the most toxic known mushrooms found worldwide. This genus is responsible for approximately 95% of the fatalities resulting from mushroom poisoning, with the death cap accounting for about 50% on its own...
. However, although it is often referred to by the common name "grisette", it is not closely related to other edible species that carry this common name, such as Amanita vaginata and Amanita fulva
Amanita fulva
Amanita fulva, commonly called the tawny grisette, is a basidiomycete mushroom of the genus Amanita. It is found frequently in deciduous and coniferous forests of Europe, and possibly North America.-Taxonomy and naming:...
. It belongs to the same group of Amanita as A. muscaria
Amanita muscaria
Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the fly agaric or fly amanita , is a poisonous and psychoactive basidiomycete fungus, one of many in the genus Amanita...
and is reported to be toxic.
It derives its specific epithet xanthocephala from the Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
xanthos/ξανθοѕ "yellow" and kephale/κεφαλη "head".
It is a ringless mushroom with a yellowish- to reddish-orange cap
Pileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
up to 3–5 cm (1–2 in) in diameter, with deeper colour toward the centre, and paler similar-coloured warts. The gills and slim ringless stipe
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
are pale yellow or white. The white volva
Volva (mycology)
The volva is a mycological term to describe a cup-like structure at the base of a mushroom that is a remnant of the universal veil. This macrofeature is important in wild mushroom identification due to it being an easily observed, taxonomically significant feature which frequently signifies a...
has a neat outturned lip and is often bordered with orange or yellow.
Amanita xanthocephala lives in an ectomycorrhizal relationship with Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
. It is found in eucalypt
Eucalypt
Eucalypts are woody plants belonging to three closely related genera:Eucalyptus, Corymbia and Angophora.In 1995 new evidence, largely genetic, indicated that some prominent Eucalyptus species were actually more closely related to Angophora than to the other eucalypts; they were split off into the...
forests in the southwest of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, as well as southeastern Australia from near Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
around to Southeast Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
.
At one stage this fungus was known as Amanitopsis pulchella, a small genus that all grisettes (ringless Amanita species) were placed in. However, this genus has been later sunk back into Amanita. Unlike most ringless Amanita, which are part of Amanita section Vaginatae (A. vaginata and allies), A. xanthcephala belongs to Amanita section Amanita (A. muscaria and allies). http://pluto.njcc.com/~ret/amanita/species/fulva.html
There is one report of a person being quite ill after tasting a small piece of it in 1997.