Key A

Ring present on stalk or cuplike tissue present around stalk base (or both)

1
1. Gills free (not attached to stalk) - - - 2
1. Gills attached to stalk - - - 13

2      Back to 1
2. Ring of tissue (skirtlike or bandlike) present on stalk - - - 3
2. Ring absent - - - 10

3      Back to 2
3. Saclike cup of tissue (volva) present about stalk base - - - e.g. Amanita phalloides p. 543
3. Saclike cup absent - - - 4

4      Back to 3
4. Tissue remnants, rows of concentric patches or cuplike rim near stalk base - - - e.g. Amanita pantherina p. 541
4. Stalk base smooth (or appearing so) - - - 5

5      Back to 4
5. Cap slimy or sticky when fresh - - - e.g. Limacella solidipes p. 554
5. Cap dry to moist, not slimy - - - 6

6      Back to 5
6. Cap usually adorned with patches (removable without tearing cap flesh) - - - e.g. Amanita rubescens p. 546
6. Cap scaly or smooth but not adorned with removable (veil) patches - - - 7

7      Back to 6
7. Cap scaly, usually with central nipple, knob or disc; ring usually movable - - - Lepiota pp. 513-523
7. Not as above - - - 8

8      Back to 7
8. Cap smooth; mushroom white; ring movable; growing in grass - - - Lepiota naucina
8. Not as above - - - 9

9      Back to 8
9. Mushrooms small to large; cap scaly; in grass or woods; spore print white - - - Lepiota pp. 513-523
9. Mushrooms typically large; cap scaly; in grass; spore print grayish green - - - Chlorophyllum molybdites p. 509

10      Back to 2
10. Saclike cup present about stalk base; cap margin radially lined - - - e.g. Amanita fulva p. 536
10. Saclike cup absent; cap margin lined or smooth - - - 11

11      Back to 10
11. Cap slimy or sticky when fresh - - - e.g. Limacella glioderma p. 554
11. Cap dry to moist, not slimy - - - 12

12      Back to 11
12. Cap margin radially lined; cap or stalk powdery - - - e.g. Amanita farinosa p. 533
12. Cap margin radially lined or smooth; cap and stalk smooth - - - Amanita (altered by weather, etc.) pp. 525-552

13      Back to 1
13. Universal veil present (egglike structure encasing entire immature mushroom). (On maturing mushrooms this appears as removable patches or loose powder on the cap and or patches, powder or a saclike cup about stalk base, or a slime layer over cap and on stalk) - - - 14
13. Universal veil absent (or its remnants not observed) - - - 20

14      Back to 13
14. Saclike cup present about stalk base; gills mostly or nearly free - - - Amanita pp. 525-552
14. Not as above - - - 15

15      Back to 14
15. Mushroom large or stout; gills descending stalk; double partial veil present on stalk (may be incorrectly interpreted as a universal and partial veil) - - - Catathelasma pp. 741-742
15. Not as above - - - 16

16      Back to 15
16. Scalelike, patchlike or powdery tissue on cap or about stalk base; mushrooms usually whitish to gray; stalk often "rooting" - - - e.g. Amanita cokeri p. 531
16. Not as above - - - 17

17      Back to 16
17. Scales present on cap and stalk base; ring or ring zone present on upper stalk; rising from underground bulblike structure, rare - - - Squamanita p. 524
17. Not as above - - - 18

18      Back to 17
18. Universal veil granular-warty, leaving patches on cap and encasing stalk - - - Dissoderma p. 512
18. Universal veil slimy, leaving slime layer on cap and stalk - - - 19

19      Back to 18
19. Gills mostly or nearly free - - - Limacella p. 554
19. Gills clearly attached - - - e.g. Hygrophorus olivaceoalbus p. 664

20      Back to 13
20. Partial veil double (may be misinterpreted as universal and partial veil) - - - Catathelasma pp. 741-742
20. Not as above - - - 21

21      Back to 20
21. Sleevelike tissue encasing stalk to near top (with exceptions); on the ground - - - 22
21. Not as above; mushroom on wood - - - 30

22      Back to 21
22. Cap dry - - - 23
22. Cap slimy to tacky - - - 27

23      Back to 22
23. Mushroom rising from underground bulblike structure - - - 24
23. Not as above - - - 25

24      Back to 23
24. Scales present on cap and stalk base; ring or zone present on upper stalk - - - Squamanita p. 524
24. Patches on cap; sleevelike tissue encasing stalk - - - Dissoderma p. 512

25      Back to 23
25. Cap and stalk granular-warty - - - Cystoderma pp. 510-51
25. Not as above - - - 26

26      Back to 25
26. Ring conspicuous, usually atop sheathing stalk covering - - - Armlllaria pp. 731-735
26. Ring or ring zone present on upper stalk; stalk smooth or appressed scaly - - - Tricholoma cingulatum (not in Audubon field guide)

27      Back to 22
27. Gills mostly or nearly free - - - Limacella p. 554
27. Gills clearly attached - - - 28

28      Back to 27
28. Ring typically conspicuous and membranous - - - Armillaria pp. 731-735
28. Not as above - - - 29

29      Back to 28
29. Gills notched at stalk; ring zone on upper stalk and appressed scaly below zone - - - Tricholoma aurantium p.799
29. Gills attached or slightly descending stalk; ring zone present in a few - - - e.g. Hygrophorus olivaceoalbus p. 664

30      Back to 21
30. Usually at base of trees, about stumps; clustered; fleshy; honey-colored - - - Armillariella mellea p. 736
30. Not as above - - - 31

31      Back to 30
31. Stalkless; tough; very small; numerous on logs and fallen branches - - - Tectella patellaris p. 798
31. Not as above - - - 32

32      Back to 31
32. On trees; whitish; fleshy-firm; gill edges smooth - - - Pleurotus dryinus p. 792
32. On railroad ties or plants; toughish; gill edges saw-toothed or uneven - - - Lentinus lepideus p. 766

 

 

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