A historical survey of the delineation of the genus Amanita and its infrageneric classification is given. Morphological and other characters of Amanita are discussed, with emphasis on the characters and the behaviour of the volva. The term ‘pileipellis’ is proposed to replace Fayod’s term ‘cuticula’. In the taxonomic part synonymy and descriptions are given of the genus Amanita and its subgenus Lepidella, together with a key to the subgenera and the sections. Section Lepidella is provisionally monographed on the base of exhaustive examinations of type material, as far as available, and a usually limited number of additional collections. Of the 93 species recognized, sixteen are described as new, and seven provisionally as new species; three new names and four new combinations are introduced.