Amanita constricta

Amanita constricta frequents oak trees in the Santa Cruz mountains in late Winter, and although it is one of the edible "grisettes" I have not yet tried it. It has a grey cap with clearly visible striations around the rim, it usually has a large patch of universal veil remaining on the cap (like the specimen above), and most notably, its volva has a constriction just above the basal bulb, and below the flaring extra veil tissue. It does not have the same characteristic fishy odor that many of the other edible Amanitas share, and I have come to trust that fishy odor as a confidence-inspiring marker for identification. Therefore, I have not yet developed the confidence to eat this species.