Volva (mycology)

Not to be confused with Vulva.
The volva is the prominent cup-shaped feature at the base of this Amanita caesarea.
A simplified diagram of an agaric-type basidioma in (A) the early development stage, and (B) after the body is fully expanded. (1) is the universal veil, the outer layer protecting the developing basidioma; (4) is the volva, the remnant of the universal veil at the base of the basidioma.

In mycology, a volva is a cup-like structure at the base of a mushroom that is a remnant of the universal veil,[1] or the remains of the peridium that encloses the immature fruit bodies of gasteroid fungi.[2] This macrofeature is important in wild mushroom identification because it is an easily observed, taxonomically significant feature that frequently signifies a member of Amanitaceae. This has particular importance due to the disproportionately high number of deadly poisonous species contained within that family.

A mushroom's volva is often partially or completely buried in the ground, and therefore care must be taken to check for its presence when identifying mushrooms.[3] Cutting or pulling mushrooms and attempting to identify them later without having noted this feature could be a fatal error.

Whilst a volva is a feature best known from Amanita species and stinkhorns such as the Phallaceae family and others in the Phallales order, it may also occur with other genera including:

Some other species such as Leucoagaricus volvatus, Leucoagaricus bivelatus also display a volva despite this not being a typical trait for these genera.[4]

The majority of the almost 300 species described In the Conocybe genus do not have a volva but there are a small number of species in Conocybe section Singerella which possess a small volva, though in some it may not be immediately evident as they can remain buried in dung. Conocybe species with a volva include: C. anthuriae,[5] C. corneri,[6] C hornana,[5] C. locellina,[5] C. vaginata,[7] C. volvata,[8] C. volviornata,[9] C. volviradicata.[10]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kirk 2008 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Miller 1988 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kuo 2007 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Akers, Brian P.; Ovrebo, Clark L. (2005). "Leucoagaricus bivelatus, a new volvate leptoid species". Mycotaxon. 91: 303–308.
  5. ^ a b c Watling, Roy; Hausknecht, Anton (1997). "Conocybe anthuriae, a new volvate species from Mauritius (Africa)" (PDF). Österreichische Zeitschrift für Pilzkunde. 6.
  6. ^ Watling, Roy (1979). "Observations on the Bolbitiaceae XVII Volvate Species of Conocybe" (PDF). Sydowia Beihefte. 8: 401–415.
  7. ^ Watling, Roy (1979). "Observations on the Bolbitiaceae XVII Volvate Species of Conocybe" (PDF). Sydowia Beihefte. 8: 401–415.
  8. ^ Agretious Thomas, K.; Hausknecht, Anton; Manimohan, P. (2001). "Bolbitiaceae of Kerala State, India: New species and new and noteworthy records" (PDF). Österreichische Zeitschrift für Pilzkunde. 10: 87–114.
  9. ^ Horak, Egon; Hausknecht, Anton; Desjardin, Dennis E. (2002). "Notes on extra-European taxa of Bolbitiaceae (Agaricales, Basidiomycota)" (PDF). Österreichische Zeitschrift für Pilzkunde. 11: 226.
  10. ^ Watling, Roy; Işiloğlu, Mustafa; Sermenli, Hayrünisa Baş (2011-02-11). "Observations on the Bolbitiaceae 31. Conocybe volviradicata sp. nov". Mycotaxon. 114 (1): 145–149. doi:10.5248/114.145.