BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The following description is based on Atkinson (1909) and Jenkins (1982), with the addition of my observations of the type and a few additional collections.

The cap of Amanita elliptosperma is 38 - 84 mm wide, hemispheric at first, becoming convex, then plano-convex, and finally concave (upward flaring margin); it is white, sometimes with a tinge of cream color in the center. The cap context is 3 - 7 mm thick over the stem and thins evenly to the margin.  The cap margin is smooth and not appendiculate.  No remnants of the volva are present.

The gills are free to narrowly adnate (sometimes with small decurrent tooth, but without a decurrent line on the upper stem) and crowded, off-white to dingy cream to pinkish in mass, and off-white to dingy cream to yellowish white in side view, and 5 - 6 mm broad.  They are roughly lozenge-shaped and do not change color when bruised or broken.  The short gills are rounded truncate to subtruncte to subattenuate to attenuate to attenuate in steps, very plentiful, of diverse lengths, and unevenly distributed.

The stem is 35 - 115 × 5 - 11 mm, tapering upward, solid. The basal bulb is ovoid and 19 - 42 × 16 - 33 mm. The ring is ample or torn in shreds, apical, pendant, membranous, and thin. The volva is ample, membranous, limbate, and more or less lobed.  The highest point of the volva limb is 26 - 63 mm from the bulb's bottom.

Spores of the type of A. elliptosperma measure (8.0-) 8.7 - 11.2 (-11.5) × (5.8-) 5.9 - 7.5 (-7.8) µm and are ellipsoid (infrequently elongate) and amyloid. Clamps are absent from bases of basidia.

Originally described from North Carolina, USA.  With a range probably extending from southern New England to the Gulf Coast and eastern Texas.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The following is based on the original description from Coker (1927), with the addition of my observations of the type.

The cap is 35 - 45 mm wide, plano-convex, depressed in the center, pale creamy to nearly white, lacking volval remains, slightly viscid, with a strongly decurved or incurved, nonstriate margin. The flesh is 2.5 mm thick above the stem, thinning rapidly to a membrane, white.

The gills are moderately close, broadly rounded at the margin, white, 4 mm broad, barely reaching the stem.

The stem is up to 70 × 6 mm, smooth, nearly pure white, nearly cylindric, solid or very firmly stuffed. The ring is small, membranous, superior, collapsing against the stem. The bulb is 18 - 20 mm wide, ellipsoid, somewhat pointed below in "button." The volva is limbate projecting 6 - 8 mm above the bulb. The limbs are somewhat thickened and standing free from the stem.

The mushroom has the odor of "chloride of lime" -- smells of decaying protein.

Spores (from the holotype) of A. gwyniana measure (8.4-) 8.9 - 11.8 (-12.4) × 6.0 - 8.0 (-8.7) µm and are ellipsoid (infrequently elongate) and amyloid. Clamps are probably absent from bases of basidia.

Originally described from North Carolina, USA in association with American chestnut at elevations close to 1000 meters.

In his discussion of this species, Coker emphasizes the small size and the rounded external ends and the proportional broadness of the gills.  Within the "elliptosperma group," the odor of chloride of lime is also distinctive.  The fact that this species is never or (rarely) reported may be due to the near extinction of American chestnut. This species might best be located by searching near American chestnut stumps with still living roots.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The following is based on the original description of Coker (1917), with the addition of my observations of the type.

The cap is 45 - 60 mm wide, plano-convex with slight umbo, smooth, wet-looking, viscid, generally white, shading to straw or pinkish-straw color over center, with a nonstriate margin. The flesh is nearly white, 2 mm thick over the stem, unchanging when bruised.

The gills are barely reaching the stem, moderately close, rounded at the stem, 4 - 4.5 mm wide, white at first, discoloring to pinkish-buff or pink.

The stem is up to 80 × 5 - 6 mm (length includes bulb), tapering upward, white, with a ellipsoid to elongate-ellipsoid bulb. The center of stem is slightly stuffed but not hollow except by insect larvae. The volva is limbate; the free limb is 5 - 10 mm long, collapsing on stem. The ring is fragile and easily reduced to shreds.

The mushroom is odorless and tasteless.

The photographed collection was not reactive to application of KOH solution.

The spores (as reported by Coker) measure 10 - 11.5 × 6.6 - 7.8 µm and are amyloid. Spores from the photographed collection measured (8.4-) 9.0 - 10.5 (-11.5) × (5.9-) 6.3 - 7.8 (-8.5) µm and were broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid and amyloid. Clamps probably absent from bases of basidia.

Originally described from North Carolina, USA, under oak (Quercus) with small Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) nearby.

Coker notes that this species is more brittle or fragile than other species to which the name "destroying angel" is applied on this site. He also pointed out the "flesh-colored" gills as a distinctive character and mentions that the stem is rapidly hollowed by "grubs." Coker's photographs depict specimens which are at least fragile or over-mature. Many species of Amanita will be distinctly water-soaked if collected shortly after rains or when the substrate is very (unusually) wet for other reasons.  Under such conditions, it is common to find a water soaked line at the connection of the gills to the cap flesh.  The stuffing of the stipe is another part of Amanita fruiting bodies that commonly becomes water soaked when plentiful moisture is present.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The following description is based on Murrill (1944), with the addition of my observations of the type.

The cap of Amanita parviformis is 25 mm wide, hemispheric, not fully expanding, slightly viscid when fresh, smooth, glabrous, subshining, white, unchanging, with a entire even margin. The flesh is thin except at the center, white, unchanging.

The gills are adnate, crowded, medium broad, entire, white, unchanging.

The stem is about 30 × 5 - 8 mm, narrowing upward, smooth, glabrous, white, unchanging when bruised. The ring is fixed 10 mm from the top of the stem, very short, skirt-like, grooved by the gills above, white, persistent. The bulb is ovoid, white, 20 × 15 mm. The volva is neither appressed nor widely spreading, the edge is either 3-lobed or ragged.

The mushroom is odorless.

The spores of the type measure (8.2-) 8.8 - 10.0 (-11.2) × (5.2-) 5.5 - 7.0 (-7.2) µm and are ellipsoid to elongate, occasionally broadly ellipsoid and amyloid. Clamps are absent at bases of basidia.

Originally described from Florida in the sandy soil in the midst of wetlands, probably with oak.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The following is based on the original description of Murrill (1944), with the addition of my observations of the type.

The cap of Amanita pseudoverna is 40 - 60 mm wide, convex to expanded, smooth, glabrous, rarely with volval patches, with an entire even margin.  The cap is sometimes white, the center is sometimes cream.

The gills are adnexed, inserted, close, narrow, entire, brown when dry.

The stem is 80 - 120 × 10 - 15 mm, tapering upward, floccose, at times very rough. The bulb is large, ovoid, not radicate, about 40 × 30 - 40 mm. The volval limb is free, lobed or lacerate. The ring is very large, fixed 10 mm from the top of the stem, and persistent.

Odorless.

The spores of the type measure 9.0 - 10.8 (-12.0) × 6.2 - 8.0 (-8.2) µm and are ellipsoid, occasionally broadly ellipsoid, rarely subglobose and amyloid. Clamps are absent at bases of basidia.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The following is based on the original description of Murrill (1945), with the addition of my observations on the type.

The cap of Amanita verniformis is 70 mm wide, convex to plane, solitary, slightly viscid, smooth, glabrous, milk-white, with an entire even margin. The flesh is thin, white, and unchanging.

The gills are just touching, close, narrow, inserted, white, with fimbriate edges.

The stem is 80 × 10 mm, subcylindric above the bulb, smooth, white, unchanging, glabrous. The bulb is large, ovoid, and white. The volva is limbate with ample limb and white. The ring is ample, white, and fixed 10 mm from the top of the stem.

The mushroom is odorless.

The spores of the type measure (9.0-) 9.2 - 11.2 (-11.8) × 6.5 - 8.2 µm and are broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid to (occasionally) elongate and amyloid. Clamps are absent from bases of basidia.

This species was originally described from Florida, where it was found under live oak.