This name is currently applied to two distinct populations in western North America. The first fruits in the Fall (Nov.-Dec. with occasional records from early January) and has an orange to brown pileus and usually grows with madrone, tan oak, and Douglas fir. The second is a Spring-fruiting (Feb.-Jun. with occasional records from early January) species with a lemon-yellow to pale yellow to cream pileus that grows with live oak in coastal California, pine in the Sierra Nevada and San Bernardino mountains, and occasionally under fir in the Pacific Northwest.

Other than these clearly distinguishing features, the two amanitas are fairly similar. They each have an unusually thick universal veil which leaves an ample volval sack and a thick white patch on the cap.

A more detailed description is available from Rod Tulloss’ Amanita website:.

Western North America including California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia and Mexico.

The key distinguishing macroscopic features are a thick volva that typically leaves a large patch, a distinctly striate margin, a skirt-like, membranous veil and thick saccate volva. The cap colors are also distinctive being either a lemon-yellow (spring form) or a brown-orange color often fading towards the margin. Another notable feature is that the young “eggs” have a gelatinous core when fresh. However, this feature fades with age or can be missing all together in dry weather.

Amanita phalloides, Amanita ocreata, Amanita velosa

The brown-orange fall form is generally associated with madrone, tanoak or fir. The yellow spring form is associated with coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) near the coast and ponderosa pine in the mountains.

This one of the most popular edible Amanita species in western North America. It is particularly popular within the Italian immigrant community where it is known as either the Coccora or Coccoli. However, its similarity to several deadly poisonous Amanita species (A. phalloides and A. ocreata) make even very experienced mushroom collectors take particular caution in ensuring they have a correct id. This species is not recommended for beginning collectors and should not be commercial sold since it may give consumers the wrong impression of what wild mushrooms are safe to eat.