I came across this very interesting Lepidella while hiking on the Sand Spring Trail (SST) that runs along Hickory Run Brook/Stream. I have no idea what species it is as I couldn't find it on either the PA/NJ or Northeast checklists. The closest match is A. cinereopannosa, but I don't think it's that. Perhaps Rod can help here. The GPS coordinates of the spot are approximate, but the collection site is about 50-60 yards from where SST and its campgrounds branch split off and just before SST enters a thick rhododendron grove. The actual spot is a steep slope below the right side of SST (between the trail and the creek). The slope forms the eastern side of this bowl-shaped pit surrounded by mature hemlocks. A careful inspection of the site revealed a couple of maples, a large birch of some kind (gray bark) and two large black cherry trees near and slightly beyond the hemlocks. I think the amanita is probably mycorrizal with the hemlocks. So why is the amanita in pieces?! Well, I after collecting the mushroom I stood up on the steep slope, slipped and fell; the amanita fell out of my hand and broke up upon hitting the ground. I doubt these woods heard so many bilingual profanities in such a short time before - I was cursing myself for being such a klutz, but then calmed down as s**t just happens. At least I should be thankful I didn't hurt myself falling flat on my belly. :-) The pix give a good idea of what this critter looks like. I estimate it was 6" tall. The key features of this amanita are the whoolly-cottony grayish-tan universal veil covering the cap, stipe, upper part of the bulb and the underside of the partial veil, and a very large bulb. The odor was of decaying protein. The PV still covered the gills, so it was immature at the time of discovery; however, the cap expanded while I drove back home and I was eventually able to get a spore print. The spores appear small (under 10 microns) and broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid when viewed at x400 without a mounting agent -- more on that later. The final cap size is 9 x 7.5 cm; the stipe is 2 cm wide; the bulb is 6.5 cm long, the cross-section is oval, 4.5 x 3.5 cm wide. If allowed to reach maturity, the specimen would have undoubtedly become a large mushroom.