Amanita vaginata sensu Thiers                                                      *All Collections from California

This is what is known as Amanita vaginata in California. It doesn't seem to be very far from the European concept, but it needs further investigation to discover just how close they are. In general, the European material tends to be depicted as more brown than gray, but there are plenty of brown collections in California too. Other prominent members of Section Vaginatae in California are Amanita constricta, Amanita pachycolea and Amanita protecta.

Floccose upper stem

Sphaerocysts (volva): Conspicuous, but not abundant, roughly around 40 x 60μ. Marginal cells:  Along the entire gill edge. Mainly clavate to spheropedunculate. Clamps not observed. Spores: 9.2 - 11.8 x 8.9 - 11.4μ globose to subglobose.