Amanita brunnescens

Cleft-foot Amanita

One of the most common Amanitas in eastern North American woods, with a grayish brown, sparsely warted cap and an abrupt basal bulb that is split vertically. Its flesh and stem base bruise reddish brown. It was once mistaken for the death cap, and its edibility is unknown.

Species profile

Edibility

Toxic

Edibility unknown and it may be poisonous; do not eat. It closely resembles the deadly death cap (Amanita phalloides) and other toxic Amanitas, which it was originally mistaken for.

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Mycology is an evolving science: names, classifications and safety information change as research advances. Entries are compiled from cited sources and reviewed, but may be incomplete or out of date — check the sources, and never rely on this library alone to identify or eat a mushroom.

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Characteristics

Cap: 3-11 cm, convex to nearly flat, tacky when wet, grayish brown to whitish with a darker center, with a few scattered white to grayish or tan warts; may stain reddish brown. Gills: free, white, close. Stem: 6-12 cm long, 0.5-1.5 cm thick, white, tapering upward, with a persistent skirt-like white ring; base an abrupt rimmed bulb split vertically in one or more places, bruising reddish brown; volva usually absent or reduced to a few patches on the bulb rim. Flesh: white, firm, discoloring reddish brown. Spore print: white. Spores: 6.5-10 µm, globose to subglobose, amyloid.