Amanita muscaria
PEAK FRUITING MONTHS
SIMILAR SPECIES: Amanita aprica
CRITICAL ID FEATURES: Red cap, white warts, partial veil on stipe, volva present as rings of scales around swollen stipe base.
NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY: Ectomycorrhizal, mostly with conifers.
EDIBILITY: Toxic in most states, can be prepared safely by removing the skin and parboiling several times (see Arora and Rubel's instructions).
COMMENTS: This iconic mushroom is common in our pine forests in fall, usually appearing in a single flush that lasts one to two weeks. The pigment of the cap is light and water sensitive, and can fade to orange or yellow, or in extreme cases, white. There are entirely white-capped forms of unresolved taxonomic significance - collections and data are valuable for these forms. Amanita aprica has a more orange-yellow cap (even when young) and a simple "collared cup" volva at the base of the stipe rather than scaly concentric rings.