AMANITA

The genus '''Amanita''' contains about 600 species of agarics including some of the most toxic known mushrooms found worldwide. This genus is responsible for 95% of the fatalities resulting from mushroom poisoning, with the death cap accounting for 50% on its own. Because of this, mushrooms of this genus are usually called '''toadstools''' instead of '''mushrooms''' in order for people to distinguish them from other mushrooms of various different genuses. The most potent toxin present in these mushrooms is alpha-amanitin.
The listing in this encyclopedia is by no means complete, but represents some of the more well-known members of the genus. The genus also contains many edible mushrooms. In some cultures, the larger local edible species of ''Amanita'' are mainstays of the markets in the local growing season. Samples of this are ''Amanita zambiana'' and other fleshy species in central Africa, ''A. basii'' and similar species in Mexico, ''A. caesarea'' in Europe, and ''A. chepangiana'' in South-East Asia. Other species are used for coloring sauces, such as the red ''A. jacksonii'' with a range from eastern Canada to eastern Mexico.
Many species are of unknown edibility, especially in countries such as Australia where many fungi are little-known. Understandably this is not a genus that lends itself to safe experimentation.

Contents

Taxonomy

See also

References

External links

Taxonomy

The name is possibly derived from Amanon,a mountain in Cilicia.
A first incarnation from ''Tentamen dispositionis methodicae Fungorum'' 65. 1797 is cited as devalidated: "Introduced to cover three groups already previously distinguished by Persoon (in [...] Tent. 18. 1797) under ''Agaricus'' L., but at that time not named. It is worth stressing that the species now known as ''Amanita caesarea'' was not mentioned."
With ''Agaricus'' L. in use, ''Amanita'' was a ''nomen nudum'' per modern standard, so Persoon gave it a new life unrelated to its previous incarnations, and that is finally published after a starting date by Hooker (the citation is Pers. ''per'' Hook., 1821). He reuses Withering's 1801 definition (''A botanical arrangement of British plants'', 4th ed.). "The name ''Amnita'' has been considered validly published on different occasions, depending on various considerations." Proposed types include (given as ''Amanita''. Sometimes they were selected as ''Agarici''):
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★ ''A. livida'' Pers. (By Earle, in 1909). Had been excluded in ''Vaginata'' or ''Amanitopsis'' and could not be chosen.
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★ ''A. muscaria'' Pers. (By Clemens & Shear, 1931) for the genus (1801) from ''Synopsis fungorum'', was generally transferred to the one from Hooker's ''Flora of Scotland'', which is currently considered the valid publication of ''Amanita'' (or was in the 50s).
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★ ''A. phalloides'' (by Singer, 1936) for the 1801 genus.
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★ ''A.bulbosa'' (by Singer & Smith, 1946) for Gray's republication. This is incorrect as Gray's ''A. bulbosa'' is a synonym of ''A. citrina''. Some authors consider Gray to be the first valid republisher.
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★ ''A. caesarea'' (by Gilbert, 1940). Troublesome because not known personally to Persoon or Fries.
Donk concludes the earliest valid type is ''A. muscaria'', the species in Hooker, adding that he'd personally favor ''A. citrina''.
The name has been republished three times in 1821: in Hooker, Roques and Gray (in that order). Roques maintained Persoon's circumscription, including ''Amanitopsis'' and ''Volvaria''. Gray excluded ''Amanitopsis'' and ''Volvariella'' into ''Vaginata''. Right after, Fries reset the name by reducing the genus to a tribe of ''Agaricus'', minus pink-spored ''Volvariella''. This tribe became a subgenus, than genus via various authors, Quélet, although not the first, often being attributed the change. Sometimes it was used in a Persoonian sense (whether that is a correct use according to ICBN is not clear).
Homonyms of ''Amanita'' Pers. are ''Amanita'' adans. (1763, devalidated) and ''Amanita'' (Dill) Rafin. (1830)

See also

★ List of Amanita species

References

★ The generic names proposed for Agaricaceae, , M.A., Donk, Beiheifte zur Nova Hedwigia, 1962

External links

★ Rodham E. Tuloss and Zhu-liang Yang's ''Amanita'' site – Comprehensive listing of the nearly 600 named ''Amanita'' species with photos and/or technical details on over 160 species.

★ "The genus ''Amanita''" by Michael Kuo, ''MushroomExpert.Com'', March 2005.