Typification of <i>Amanita muscaria</i> (Amanitaceae, Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota), the name for an iconic mushroom species

Abstract This contribution focuses on the typification of Amanita muscaria (basionym: Agaricus muscarius , nom. sanct.; Amanitaceae) the name of a renowned and truly iconic fungus. The name has previously been neotypified with a specimen collected in Sweden, deposited in TENN. However, the protologue published by Linnaeus in 1753 cited an illustration by Clusius that must be treated as original material. Additionally, when sanctioning A. muscaria in 1821, Fries cited several illustrations, which are also regarded as equivalent to original material. Due to the existence of these elements the prior neotypification must be overturned and a lectotype designated from among the original elements. We lectotypify A. muscaria with an illustration published by Bulliard in 1782 (t. 122; “L'Agaric oronge (fausse). Agaricus pseudoaurantiacus ”), cited by Fries in 1821. The lectotype is unambiguously assignable to the taxon historically recognized as Amanita muscaria ; however, it cannot readily be assigned to a phylogenetic entity within the monophyletic A. muscaria group. While an epitype is likely required to permanently fix the application of the name, its designation is considered premature in the absence of a recent, robust integrative study of the A. muscaria group drawing from biogeographic, ecological, molecular and phenotypic data. This work highlights the urgent need for a modern, comprehensive study of the group to which this iconic fungus belongs.