Mushroom - Amanita sp., section Validae, series Mappae, stirps Citrina

How's that for a title? Amanita is a genus that baffles me. The possible species IDs are A. lavendula, A. americitrina, or A. cornelihybrida. I didn't figure any of this out, but got help from a super helpful guy on MO.

Habitat: It was growing on the ground in a grassy area of a mostly deciduous forest.

comments (4)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

What do the terms section, series and stirps mean? Posted 2 years ago
1. Christine Young
  
  Lion
  
  Each designation is just further specifying the type of mushroom it is. Amanita species (and I guess other fungi genera too) are complicated and hard to tell apart, so they don't just go by genus-species. Instead, it's: genus, subgenus, section, series, species, and variety. If the species can't be determined without chemical testing/DNA/spore print, you get the 'stirps' (an informal term meaning a descendant of) with the name of a species that is very similar.
  
  The guy who helped me on MO said this:
  
  "There are subdivisions of subdivisions… In this case I think we have the following: genus Amanita, subgenus Amanitina, section Validae, series Mappae, stirps Citrina. That is, all of the above apply with any category larger than and containing the category to its right. So, I’m proposing this mushroom belongs to ALL categories mentioned, with “stirps Citrina” being the most specific. In eastern NA this amounts to being one of the following named species: A. lavendula, A. americitrina, A. cornelihybrida; at least this is the current understanding." Posted 2 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    Subgenus and then several levels below it, that does sound insanely complex. Thanks for the explanation! Posted 2 years ago
  2. 1. Christine Young
      
      Lion
      
      You're welcome. I just had it explained to me a few days ago, lol. Posted 2 years ago

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