Volvariella bombycina

Photos By David Lewis

Photo By: Chris Matherly, Georgia 2005

Volvariella bombycina ( Silky Volvariella).  Excellent edible and fairly common in TN.  They can be found on maple,poplar,elm,beech and oak stumps and logs, they can even be found growing on living trees where the tree has been injured.  I have seen them 20 ft. up in a tree.  Books say use caution because they have a volva and could be mistaken for Amanita virosa.  Two glaring differences is V. bombycina grows on wood and has pink gills, while A. virosa grows on the ground and has white gills.  A. bombycina will leave a mushroomy smell on your hands after handling it