Spores: Late spring or early summer
Conservation Status: Not of concern
The use of the name Amanita gemmata for our PNW representative(s) of this group has long been debated, and likely will continue to be. In this region, A. gemmata appears in late spring or early summer and continues into fall. In addition to occurring in forests, it can be found under trees in suburban and urban areas, similar to A. aprica, A. pantherina, and A. muscaria. A. gemmata is a medium-sized species with a creamy, pale yellow or darker yellow cap with striations at the edge. The outer veil leaves whitish patches or warts on the cap and a short, close-fitting volva with a collar or free rim, and sometimes loose patches around the basal bulb. The gills are closely spaced and white. The stipe is more or less fleshy, white to pale cream and usually floccose on the lower surface. The partial veil is white and leaves a somewhat fragile, white, skirt-like ring that may be lost by maturity. Some forms of this species are small and slender while others are large and robust.
Sources: Trudell, Steve and Joe Ammirati. Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest. Portland, Timber Press, Inc. 2009.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Amanita gemmata in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
CalPhotos: Amanita gemmata photos