A pale yellow to whitish Amanita with a large, abruptly bulbous stem base, a persistent ring and a smell of raw potatoes. It is common in European woodlands. Its main importance is that it is frequently confused with the deadly death cap. North American material long called A. citrina appears to include several distinct species.
Inedible; not recommended. It contains bufotenine and related tryptamines. The main danger is confusion with the deadly death cap (Amanita phalloides, amatoxins), which has a greenish to olive cap that is usually bald, a membranous sack-like volva free from the stem, and no potato odor. White forms of A. citrina are also easily confused with destroying angels.
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Habitat
Ectomycorrhizal with broadleaf trees and conifers, often on acid (silicate) soils. Summer and autumn.
Distribution
Widespread in Europe. North American reports under this name, from east of the Rocky Mountains, are now usually treated as A. citrina f. lavendula (or var. lavendula); preliminary DNA results (Tulloss, as reported by MushroomExpert) indicate the North American 'citrina' complex includes at least three species, so North American records should not be assumed to be the European species.
Characteristics
Cap: 4-10 cm, convex becoming nearly flat; pale greenish yellow to lemon yellow, sometimes white; often with irregular whitish to grayish or brownish veil patches. Gills: free, close to crowded, white to cream. Stem: about 6-9 cm long, whitish, ending in a large, abruptly bulbous base that has a narrow rim or gutter at its top rather than a free sack-like volva. Ring: white to pale yellow, skirt-like, fairly persistent. Flesh: white. Odor: of raw potatoes or rapeseed. Spore print: white. Spores: globose, smooth, amyloid; North American material (f. lavendula) measures 6.5-9 um.
