[3] Macrolepiota zeyheri has a complicated taxonomic history due to a series of minor errors and confusions in its classifications and published names.

In 1848 the Swedish mycologist Elias Magnus Fries suggested that the species should be split into two based on the description he provided of differences between specimens he studied and the one originally described by Berkeley.

[10] This may present issues for automated systems designed to look for author citations in scanned documents and check them against the list of recognised names.

These cascading issues have resulted in some sources citing Heinemann as the authority on the species with a citation to Sydowia, which he did not write in.

[11] In 1891 it was classified as Mastocephalus zeyheri by the German botanist Otto Kunze in his extensive proposed list of reclassifications.

[3] In 1852 the Dutch botanist Friedrich Anton Wilhelm Miquel described Agaricus (Lepiota) verrucellosus which he noted was very warty or scaly towards the umbo or centre disc.

[18] In 1881 the Hungarian mycologist Károly Kalchbrenner and Peter MacOwan proposed the variant Agaricus (Lepiota) zeyheri var.

Gills: Free, broad and tan coloured from the spores but with colourless flesh when examined under a light.

telosa as being 'equally spectacular' and notes large scales with brown lacerations with cobweb like formations on the cap.

[11] These likewise all sound like descriptions of Macrolepiota or Chlorophyllum species and since Singer classified Agaricus zeyheri (Fr.)

Cap: 10–16 cm wide, starting conical before rounding out and ultimately becoming convex with a prominent, raised central disc.

Gills: Free with a collar and creamy white or whitish yellow discolouring pinkish with age.

The hollow stem runs deep into the flesh of the cap and has a white surface which discolours pinkish brown with age or contact.

The double stem ring is movable with a fibrous or scaly upper surface and smooth lower rim.

[3] Conversely, in 1950 Arthur Anselm Pearson described Lepiota zeyheri as tasting mild but 'rather rancid'.

[24] The cap dries to creamy with brown scales and centre, the gills to ochre and the stem to yellowish grey.

[3] Agaricus zeyheri was named for M. Zeyher, the African traveller and botanist who collected numerous specimens of various species on his expedition to the North interior of South Africa which began in November 1839.

[7] Zeyher was accompanied by Mr Burke who was a gardener in the employ of the 14th Earl of Derby, who funded the expedition entirely.