- Proposed
- 2Under Assessment
- 3Preliminary Assessed
- 4Assessed
- 5Published
Amanita vernicoccora Bojantchev & R.M. Davis
- Scientific name
- Amanita vernicoccora
- Author
- Bojantchev & R.M. Davis
- Common names
Spring Coccora- IUCN Specialist Group
Mushroom, Bracket and Puffball- Kingdom
- Fungi
- Phylum
- Basidiomycota
- Class
- Agaricomycetes
- Order
- Agaricales
- Family
- Amanitaceae
- Assessment status
- Proposed
- Proposed by
- Noah Siegel
- Comments etc.
- Noah Siegel
Assessment Notes
Taxonomic notes
Long considered a pale-capped, spring-fruiting form of Amanita calyptroderma (as A. calyptrata Thiers 1982, Arora 1986), before being formally described as a distinct species (Bojantchev et al. 2011).
Why suggested for a Global Red List Assessment?
Amanita vernicoccora is a common spring fruiting Amanita from oak forests in California and southern Oregon, with scattered reports into Washington.
Oak habitat has declined, but likely not at a level to warrant listing as anything other than Least Concern (LC).
Geographic range
Widespread and common in California into southern Oregon, in both coastal and montane forest, occasionally to rare into Washington, USA.
Population and Trends
Population is widespread, growing with oaks (Quercus spp.) in both coastal, Coast Range and montane forests in California. There has been decline of oak woodlands in California and Oregon. However, as a widespread species, in multiple habitats, the decline overall has likely doesn’t meet levels to list as anything other than Least Concern.
Population Trend:
Habitat and Ecology
Ectomycorrhizal with oaks; especially with Coast Live Oak (Quercus agrifolia), Black Oak (Q. kelloggii) and occasionally other oaks (Quercus spp). More rarely with conifers (mostly in the Pacific Northwest). Occurring in coastal and Coast Range Forests, into mid-elevation montane forests in the Sierra Nevada. Fruiting in winter and spring.
Threats
Habitat loss, due to urban development, and clearing of woodlands for horticulture. Drought and climate change in California. Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthora ramorum) has had detrimental affects on Coast Live Oak habitat.
Conservation Actions
No specific conservation actions have been identified with regards to this species.
Research needed
No specific research is needed with regards to this species.
Use and Trade
This species is edible, and occasionally collected for food.
Bibliography
Bojantchev, D., Pennycook, S.R. and Davis, R.M. 2011. Amanita vernicoccora sp. nov. the vernal fruiting ‘coccora’ from California. Mycotaxon 117(1): 485-497.
Siegel, N. and Schwarz, C. 2016. Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast. Ten Speed Press: Berkeley, CA. 601 p.
Thiers, H.D. 1982. The Agaricales (Gilled Fungi) of California. 1. Amanitaceae. Mad River Press: Eureka, CA. 53 p.
