Amanita and Saproamanita in NZ
The family amanitacaea in NZ has species of Limacella, Zhuliangomyces, Amanita, and the non-mycrorrhizal Saproamanita (which I accept as phylogenetically, ecologically and morphologically distinct from Amanita). The ectomycorrhizal Amanita species are less particular about host trees than say Lactarius, Cortinarius or Russula. In that respect they are similar to our boletes. Consequently several species are known both with tea-tree and beech. The introduced Amanita muscaria has made the jump from introdued to indigenous hosts and continues to spread through the beech forest. Amanita phalloides and the recently found Amanita marmorata (with tea-tree and introduced Eucalyptus) are deadly poisonous (although their are varying reports of the toxicity of A. marmorata). A. phalloides is responsible for the majority of mushroom poisoning fatalities worldwide, and that includes deaths in New Zealand. Amanita excelsa var. spissa is present so far only in urban Canterbury with introduced European trees. It has been treated both as this variety and as a good species. A recent treatment (https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-018-0405-9) presents sequence evidence to suggest the two should be treated as distinct and unrelated species. However other sequences also labelled Amanita spissa indicate it should be treated as a variety. If Genbank:MH486891 from France represents the true A. spissa then A. excelsa var. spissa sensu NZ is really A. excelsa. If HQ539743 from Germany is the true A. spissa then it should be treated as a variety of A. excelsa. Given current data I believe HQ539743 represents Amanita excelsa var. spissa. Morphological studies and epitypification of appropriate European material is required to resolve this ambiguity. Amanita junquillea (incorrectly also known as Amanita gemmata) is a variable species introduced under pines in the lower North Island. In the genus Amanita we have two undescribed species, which are included in the key. Amanita sp. 'Bealey' is widespread in upper SI under beech and rather hard to recognise. Amanita drummondii aff. is similar to Amanita pekeoides but has veil fragments on the cap and a grey residual volva at the stem base. In A. pekeoides there are no veil fragments on the cap and the stem base has a substantial sac-like white volva. The famous undescribed 'Noddy Cap' Sapromamanita (A. sp. 2 of Geoff Ridley) turns up quite often in unexpected locations (like most Sapromanaita species) and it will eventually be called S. galerumgandalfi. All New Zealand species in the amanitaceae have been extensively sequenced and studied. The following key is to species of Amanita and Saproamanita only.
1 |
Not apparently ectomycorrhizal and appearing in lawns away from trees and under shrubs. Often tacky to the touch and often with strong odour. Basidia without basal clamps in NZ taxa. Spores amyloid. (see also A. mumura - also section Lepidella with basal clamps and under beech). |
Saproamanita 3 |
1’ |
Obviously mycorrhizal under native tea-tree or southern beech, or introduced conifers and broad-leaved. Spores amyloid or not. |
2 |
2 |
Under exotic trees (pine, spruce, oak, poplar, beech, lime, birch). If with Eucalyptus see A. marmorata |
5 |
2’ |
Under native tea-tree and southern beech |
9 |
3 |
Cap acutely conical and felty. Fruitbody ochraceous brown and tacky. |
Saproamanita galerumgandalfi ined.( = sp. 2) |
3’ |
Cap not acutely conical |
4 |
4 |
Cap fuscous, with woolly scales |
Saproamanita inopinata |
4’ |
Cap ochre to cinnamon brown, without woolly scales |
Saproamanita manicata |
5 |
Cap bright red to orange, with patches of white veil remnants, sometimes washed off. Stem with ring. Gills pure white. Spores inamyloid. |
Amanita muscaria
|
5’ |
Cap other colours. |
6 |
6 |
Cap reddish brown. Gills and flesh spotted with flesh coloured to brown spots, especially when damaged. Under exotic broadleaved trees. Spores amyloid. |
Amanita rubescens
|
6’ |
Cap greenish, yellow or grey to brown |
7 |
7 |
Cap grey to brown. Under exotic broadleaf trees. Spores amyloid. |
Amanita excelsa var. spissa |
7’ |
Cap greenish yellow or yellow |
8 |
8 |
Cap butter yellow. Stem without ring. Under exotic conifers. Spores inamyloid. |
Amanita junquillea |
8’ |
Cap yellowish green. Stem with ring. Under exotic broadleaf trees. Spores amyloid. |
Amanita phalloides |
9 |
Stem with a ring or remnants of a partial veil. Spores amyloid or inamyloid |
10 |
9’ |
Stem without a ring or remnants of a partial veil. Spores inamyloid |
19 |
10 | Cap grey, without veil remnants, finely fibrillose, stem with pronounced volva. Spores amyloid. | Amanita marmorata |
10' | Cap grey or not. If grey then not fibrillose and with veilar remnants | 11 |
11 |
Cap with veil remnants of pyramidal/pointed warts or cuboid crumbs. Spores amyloid. |
12 |
11’ |
Cap with veil remnants of patches or flat scales. Spores inamyloid or amyloid. |
15 |
12 |
Cap grey to buff. Veil of patches or cuboid crumbs. N.B. there is an undescribed species with characters of A. karea but a reddish colouration like A. rubescens. |
Amanita karea |
12’ |
Cap without grey colours and with pyramidal/pointed warts |
13 |
13 |
Ring forming a well-developed entire skirt. Bulb at stem base with distinct flat top, often tan/grey. Lower stem base smooth. |
Amanita australis |
13’ |
Ring fragmenting. Lower stem distinctly scaly. |
14 |
14 |
Spores globose |
Amanita pareparina |
14' |
Spores ellipsoid (rare species known only from the type locality near Wellington) |
Amanita pumatona |
15 |
Gill edge black. Ring remnants on stem black. Fruitbody decaying rapidly. Spores inamyloid. |
Amanita nigrescens |
15’ |
Gill edge not black, etc. Spores amyloid. |
16 |
16 |
Cap dark grey to brown. Spores globose. With tea-tree and southern beech. Ring sometimes yellowish. Cap > 7cm inmature specimens. |
Amanita nothofagi |
16’ |
Cap usually paler. Spores subglobose to ellipsoid, Q > 1.1 |
17 |
17 |
Cap grey. Veil remnants patches or small and crumb-like. Cap < 7cm. N.B. there is an undescribed species with characters of A. karea and a reddish colouration like A. rubescens. Some collections of A. karea are like A. nothofagi and can then be separated by spore shape and size of fruitbodies. |
Amanita karea |
17’ |
Cap cream to buff. Veil patches large and often washed off. |
18 |
18 |
Cap > 7cm in mature specimens. Not staining yellow or drying pink. Basidia without basal clamps. |
Amanita sp. ‘Bealy’ |
18' |
Cap < 7cm in mature specimsn. Some collections staining yellow and drying pink. Basidia with basal clamps. (section Lepidella) |
Amanita mumura |
19 |
Cap perimeter strongly striate. Cap colour buff to dark brown. |
20 |
19’ |
Cap perimeter hardly striate, or not striate. Cap colour yellow to buff. |
Amanita taiepa |
20 |
Stem with distinct basal bulb with flat top and grey band around upper surface. Cap surface often powdery with veil remnants. |
Amanita nehuta |
20’ |
Stem with a distinct snake-skin pattern. Cap surface without powdery veil remnants. |
21 |
21 |
Cap with veil fragments and relatively small grey, velvety volva at the stem base. |
Amanita drummondii aff. |
21' |
Cap without veil fragments and relatively large white sac-like volva at the stem base. |
Amanita pekeoides |