The Janus Amanita is known to be dangerous Because it has so many poisonous or even deadly poisonous species But this guy, despite its seemingly poisonous appearance, is in fact edible. It is the famous Amanita Jacksonii, or the American Caesars. The Jacksonii is quite easy to identify, if you know where to look. Here are five key features to help you properly identify this mushroom. First, the cap the cap of a Jacksonii is bright red or bright orange. It's bold, meaning it's without warts and patches. the cap is convex at first and then flat out with the age. Second, the gills The gills are closely spaced and are yellow, which is quite distinct as most amenities have white gills. Third the stem, the stem is also yellow and sometimes you can see orangish fibers and on it. The stem is more or less equal, meaning that it has no bulb at its base. Forth, the Jacksonii has a skirt like ring. Fifth, it also features a large white cup like vova that encloses the base of the stem. I've made a identification checklist here. A mushroom has to possess all these characteristics in order to be identified as a Jacksonii. If you find hard to decide whether one attribute applies or not assume the specimen is not a Jacksonii and not edible. Spore print it's not so important in this case because many ammonia's drop of white spore print. including the Jacksonii. Here is a quick test try to decide whether a mushroom is a Jacksonii or not. Orangish cap, but no ring or volva. Nay. This is a Russula. Ret cap, yes. But the underside features pores instead of gills. Nay. This is a boletus Bright orange cap, but with very prominent warts, nay, this is an ammonia, but not a Jacksonii. Yellow cap, yellow warts, and white gills, definitely nay. In fact the warts can easily fall off so be cautious. White gills with no volva, nay. Again white gills and no prominent volva. Nay. Yellow gills but with warts, without ring and volva is not prominent at all. Nay. This one, with warts and volva barely exists, nay. Bret red cap, check, yellow gills, check yellow stem without bulb, check. Skirt like ring, check, and a very large cup like Volva, check. so a Jacksonii without doubt. White gill, no ring, the volva is not cup-like or sack like, nay This one with its orange cap and the yellowish gills looks really like a Jacksonii. Yet it has no ring and the volva is not permanent. So, nay. Another nay because the cap is more yellowish rather than reddish. Plus the gills are whitish. This guy may or may not have a ring. I can't tell from the picture Nevertheless the cap is not flat but depressed, so I'll pass Okay, one more example Bright orange cap, yes. yellowish stem with some fibers on it, yes. Skirt-like ring, yes But there's no prominent volva and the gills are white. thus another pass. In some asian in the European countries, the Caesar's is considered a choice edible. But if you ask me, I personally don't think the American Caesars' worth eating at all. When cooked up they shrink considerably and take on a strong earthy flavor. So basically the best and only way to consume them is to have them in raw and I cannot think of much good of them other than adding touches of brightness to your salad. Given that it has so many in edible and poisonous look-alikes. The best thing to do is to leave them alone. You won't be missing anything.
