Summary top ↑
A rather extensive study of more than 240 herbarium collections from
the Amanita caesarea-complex from Mexico, the Eastern U.S.A., Canada,
Europe, Africa, and Asia provided the basis of the present
work. Amanita caesarea and A. hemibapha, both sensu auct., are
misidentifications of several species. Amanita caesarea s. qtr. is
unknown in the U.S.A. and Canada, but it grows in Mexico, although it
is a rare fungus. Amanita hemibapha s. qtr. is unknown in America. All
the Mexican species of this complex have a great traditional and
economic importance as foodstuff, also in Guatemala. A list of more
than 60 common names in Mexico and Guatemala is provided, several of
them in Indian languages. A critical revision of taxonomic features is
discussed. Color, form, and striation of pileus and length, color and
desquamation of the stipe are the main macroscopic features, and spore
size, and subhymenium sickness are among the main microscopic
features. The A. caesarea-complex belongs to Section Caesareae and is
formed by at least 13 species. This complex is divided in Stirps
Caesareae (with A. caesarea s. qtr. as the type) and Stirps Hemibaphae
(with A. hemibapha as the type), according to the thickness of the
subhymenium (3-5 cells thick in the former and 1-3 cells in the
latter). Species in the Stirps Caesareae here described besides
A. caesarea are: A. basil sp. nov., A. tecomate sp. nov., A. tullossii
sp. nov., and A. yema sp. nov. Species in the Stirps Hemibaphae here
discussed are: A. arkansana, A. caesareoides, A. hemibapha,
A. jacksonii, A. Iaurae sp. nov. A. mafingensis, A. masasiensis, and
A. tanzanica, of which A. jacksonii and A. Iaurae are full
described. A key with all these taxa is presented.