Amanita cheelii (Amanita punctata)

Amanita cheelii (D.A. Reid) PM Kirk 2013

Basidiomycota – Gilled fungus  Family: Amanitaceae

Cap:  Hemispherical initially, then convex to plane then finally slightly reflexed, smooth, dry with striations at the margin; pallid grey to mouse grey or sometimes greyish brown; with flat whitish grey felty patches.

Gills: White, thin, crowded with distinctive grey margins.

Stem: long, up to 17 cm and thin, to 1 cm; pale grey-cream with plentiful fine short hairs often in tiny groups that look like dots (punctate); no ring (annulus); large saccate volva at base of stem, shades of grey.

Spores:  White in deposit, globose

Habitat: A variety of habitats including forests, woodlands and heath.

Substrate: Soil and litter Mycorrhizal..

Habit:  Usually one sometimes two.

Comments: A distinctive species characterised by the coloured margins of the gills. No ring and a large saccate volva.

Used to be known as Amanita punctata

Reference material: After A.E. Wood, 1997, Studies in the genus Amanita (Agaricales) in Australia