 Amanita ravenelii , commonly known as the pinecone Lepidella , is a species of fungus in the family Amanitaceae . The fruit bodies are medium to large , with caps up to 17 cm ( 6 @.@ 7 in ) wide , and a stem up to 25 cm ( 9 @.@ 8 in ) long and 3 cm ( 1 @.@ 2 in ) thick . The warts on the whitish cap surface are large — up to 6 mm ( 0 @.@ 24 in ) wide and 4 mm ( 0 @.@ 16 in ) high . The stem has a large bulb at its base , covered with whitish to brownish scales , that may root several centimeters into the soil . The ring on the stem is thick and <unk> or felt @-@ like . It is widely distributed in mixed and deciduous forests of the southeastern United States , where it grows solitarily or in groups on the ground in late summer and autumn . The mushrooms , which have an odor resembling bleaching powder , are not recommended for consumption . 
