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Cap:

• Convex and becoming flat with age
• Color is orange to a brilliant red-orange
• Caps are pretty hefty, from a few inches in diameter to up to 6 (around 15 cm)

• While the surface is mostly smooth, the edges are lightly striated

• It's worth noting that, unlike some other Amanita species, this one does not usually have any warts or patches on the cap.

• This mushroom displays light yellow "free gills", which means the gills on the underside of the cap are not attached to the stem. Whether gills are free or attached is often an important factor in mushroom identification so look closely!

Stem:

• The long cylindrical stem (or stipe) is usually around 3-6 inches tall (8-15 cm) and 1-1.5 inches wide (around 2-4 cm).

• Solid and a pale yellow to orange color on the outside with pale yellow to white flesh on the inside.

• The stem often displays a ring (or annulus), which is a skirt of flesh under the cap that's attached to the stem. This ring is the remnant of the partial veil; a layer of tissue that covers the gills to protect them while the mushroom is developing.

• At the base of the stem you'll often find a cup-like structure called a volva. This is the remnant of the universal veil; another layer of tissue that encloses the entire mushroom in a little "egg" when young. The volva is often beneath the dirt, so dig carefully around the mushroom to make sure it is or is not there!

Habitat:

• Ranges from North Africa to southern Europe, mainly in Italy. This mushroom does not exist (as far as we know right now), in the United States but there are similar US species (more on that below).

• Amanita caesarea is mycorrhizal, meaning it forms a symbiotic beneficial relationship with the roots of certain trees. You'll find them fruiting under pine and oak.

• This mushroom grows directly on the ground, not on trees or dead wood.

Time of Year:

• Early summer through mid-fall

Spore Print:

• White to a light, light yellow