Volva (mycology)

In mycology, a volva is a cup-like structure at the base of a mushroom that is a remnant of the universal veil,[1] or the remains of the peridium that encloses the immature fruit bodies of gasteroid fungi.

[2] This macrofeature is important in wild mushroom identification because it is an easily observed, taxonomically significant feature that frequently signifies a member of Amanitaceae.

This has particular importance due to the disproportionately high number of deadly poisonous species contained within that family.

Whilst a volva is a feature best known from Amanita species and stinkhorns such as the Phallaceae family and others in the Phallales order, it may also occur with other genera including: Some other species such as Leucoagaricus volvatus, Leucoagaricus bivelatus also display a volva despite this not being a typical trait for these genera.

Conocybe species with a volva include: C. anthuriae,[5] C. corneri,[6] C hornana,[5] C. locellina,[5] C. vaginata,[7] C. volvata,[8] C. volviornata,[9] C.

The volva is the prominent cup-shaped feature at the base of this Amanita caesarea .
A simplified diagram of an agaric-type basidioma in (A) the early development stage, and (B) after the body is fully expanded. (1) is the universal veil, the outer layer protecting the developing basidioma; (4) is the volva, the remnant of the universal veil at the base of the basidioma.