Perhaps the only mushroom one needs to be careful with when collecting matsutake is Amanita smithiana. Not only are the colorations similar, but A. smithiana, to my nose, smells similar to matsutake. It is, however, poisonous. Added to this problem is the fact I have often found A. smithiana immediately adjacent to (less than a foot away in some cases). Identification by Dr. Lorelei Norvell, assisted by Dr. Judy Rogers.