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[ Section Validaepage. ]
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[ Keys & Checklist/Picturebooks ] "Central African Blusher"
Technical description (t.b.d.) BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The following is based on the description of Beeli (1935) and on data obtained from recent collections, etc. The cap of A. rubescens var. congolensis is 100 mm wide, thick, soft-fleshed, convex, and is very pallid at first, but then becomes orange-brown to brown-red on exposure. It has a nonstriate margin. Its flesh is white and reddens on contact with air. Its volva often leaves many irregular to truncate-pyramidal warts on the cap; wart color can be grayish buff to reddish brown. The gills are free, attenuate at both ends, and white. The short gills were not described by Beeli. The stem is 150 x 10 - 12 mm, cylindric, concolorous with the cap, solid, relatively undecorated, and has a narrowly bulbous, rooting base. The stem's annulus is superior, membranous, thin, pendant, and white at first becoming brownish. The edge of the annulus may be decorated with small bits of volva. At the stipe base, the friable volva is ephemeral or difficult to collect. The taste is bitter. However, many mushroom-collecting peoples of miombo woodlands such as the Shona and Bemba reportedly enjoy this relatively common species cooked. The spores measure (6.3-) 7.1 - 10.5 (-11.8) x (4.3-) 4.6 - 6.0 (-6.9) µm and are ellipsoid to elongate (rarely broadly ellipsoid or cylindric) and amyloid. Beeli originally reported the spores 6 x 4.5 µm. Clamps are not observed at bases of basidia. This species was originally described from Republic of Congo and has been found in several other countries in central Africa. For comparison to other rubescent taxa, see A. brunneolocularis Tulloss, Ovrebo & Halling, A. orsonii Ash. Kumar & T. N. Lakh., A. novinupta Tulloss & J. Lindgr., A. rubescens Pers. : Fr., and A. rubescens var. alba Coker. For distinguishing between rubescent taxa in sect. Validae, refer to the Key of rubescent taxa in Amanita sect. Validae.-- R. E. Tulloss Photos: David Arora (Zambia, Zimbabwe)
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