Citron amanita - a death trap for the inexperienced

I'll start right away with a warning. The lemon fly agaric is very similar to the white, deadly variety Death cap (Amanita phalloides).

During walks in the forest in search of edible mushrooms, we often come across this species of mushroom. It is the lemon fly agaric, which has various names. It is called toadstool fawn, yellow toadstool, false death cap or citron amanita. However, the most common name is Amanita citrina.

As I mentioned, it is a very common species that appears in the forests in early summer and grows until late autumn, which in Europe is from June to October.

It can be found in all types of forests, deciduous, mixed or coniferous. It lives in symbiosis with trees, and grows in groups, often en masse on sandy, acidic soils.

The cap of the mushroom is pale yellow, lemon-yellow in color, which is sometimes not visible in the photos. On the surface of the cap there are irregular, thick and large patches at the beginning of white color, which are, of course, remnants of the cover as in most toadstools. Over time, patches, dots turn brown.

The diameter of the cap can reach about 10-12 cm at the peak of mushroom development. The young fruiting body is semicircular, opening and flattening with age, until it finally becomes spread and concave. The surface of the cap easily separates from the flesh, is delicate and silky.

The plaques are usually white in color, sometimes slightly yellow or cream. They are quite densely arranged, delicate and fragile.

The white leg can reach up to 15 cm in height. It is cylindrical, partially hollow in cross-section. At the bottom, there is a vagina that is attached to a tuberous root.

There is a ring on the stem, white or slightly yellowish, which hangs slightly. It is durable and stays on the leg until the end.

The mushroom is inedible, but only because of the unpleasant earthy smell reminiscent of a raw potato. The flesh is white, delicate, does not change color when damaged. It has an unpleasant taste and smell.