Lanmaoa carminipes (A) Lanmaoa carminipes (B)
Lanmaoa · 231 Lanmaoa carminipes (A. H. Sm. & Thiers) G. Wu, Halling & Zhu L. Yang = Boletus carminipes A. H. Sm. & Thiers Common name(s): none Overview: The term carminipes means “carmine-red foot,” a reference to this beautiful bolete’s red stalk. The cap surface stains dark yellow brown with KOH. The flesh slowly stains bluish with FeSO4 and pale ochraceous tan when KOH is applied to blue areas. Cap: 5–12 cm wide, convex, becoming broadly convex, margin incurved at first, even; surface dry, somewhat velvety to nearly smooth, pinkish red to rose red initially, becoming dingy brownish and sometimes finely cracked in age, often yellowish or paler pinkish red along the margin, quickly staining dark blue when bruised or handled; flesh pale yellow, quickly staining dark blue when exposed; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: bright yellow, quickly staining dark blue when bruised and then slowly reddish brown to dull brown, depressed at the stalk at maturity; tubes 4–6 mm deep. Stalk: enlarged downward, often with a pinched base, solid; surface dry, finely pruinose, yellow on the upper portion, carmine red to pinkish red over a yellow ground color on the lower portion and retaining this color even when dry, sometimes yellow overall, staining dark blue and then slowly brownish when handled or bruised, sometimes with white basal mycelium; flesh yellow, often reddish at the base, quickly staining dark blue. Habitat and season: solitary, scattered, or in groups under broadleaf trees, usually with oak; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada west to Minnesota, south to North Carolina; infrequent. Spore print: olive brown. Microscopic features: spores 9–12 × 3–3.5 µm, narrowly oblong, smooth, ochraceous. Edibility: unknown. Lookalikes: The Baorangia bicolor complex (p. 74) is similar, but it has a dark-red to rose-red cap and stalk and pale-yellow cap flesh that is unchanging or slowly and weakly staining blue when exposed.
Lanmaoa pseudosensibilis (A) Lanmaoa pseudosensibilis (B)
Lanmaoa · 233 Lanmaoa pseudosensibilis (A. H. Sm. & Thiers) G. Wu, Halling & Zhu L. Yang = Boletus pseudosensibilis A. H. Sm. & Thiers Common name(s): none. Overview: The term pseudosensibilis means “resembling Boletus sensibilis.” Adding a drop of NH4OH to the cap surface produces a greenish-blue, then dull purplish, stain, differentiating this bolete from Boletus sensibilis (p. 150). The key identification features include a dull-brown cap, bright-yellow flesh that stains blue when exposed, yellow pores that bruise blue, and a yellow stalk that is sometimes tinged reddish to purplish. Cap: 6–14 cm wide, convex, becoming broadly convex to nearly plane in age, margin even, often bright yellow; surface dry, smooth, often becoming cracked in age, with yellow flesh showing in the fissures, dull rusty brown to dull reddish brown, fading to dull cinnamon or dingy yellow brown; flesh bright yellow, quickly staining blue when exposed; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: yellow to ocher yellow when young, becoming olive ocher in age, rapidly staining blue and then brown when bruised; tubes 5–8 mm deep. Lanmaoa pseudosensibilis (C)
234 · Boletes of Eastern North America Stalk: nearly equal or sometimes slightly flared at the apex, solid; surface dry, typically yellow overall, sometimes with tinges of rusty red, pink, or purple, especially near the base; flesh bright yellow on the upper portion, more intensely yellow on the lower portion, staining blue, sometimes slowly, when exposed. Habitat and season: gregarious in broadleaf woods, especially under oaks and hickory, or sometimes under pines; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: New England south to North Carolina, west to Minnesota, distribution limits yet to be established; occasional. Spore print: olive brown. Microscopic features: spores 9–12 × 3–4 µm, subfusiform to oblong, smooth, pale brown. Edibility: Although this bolete is edible and has a good flavor, it may be confused with similar species, some of which are suspected to be poisonous; therefore, it is not recommended as an edible bolete. Lookalikes: The Baorangia bicolor complex (p. 74) has a redder cap, and its flesh slowly and weakly stains blue, if at all. Lanmaoa roseocrispans
Lanmaoa · 235 Lanmaoa roseocrispans Bessette, A. R. Bessette, Nuhn & Halling Common name(s): none. Overview: The term roseocrispans means “rosy-pink folds,” a reference to the coloration between the folds of this bolete’s cap. This mushroom is extremely robust, hefty, and dense. The strongly tapered stalk with a ventricose or pinched base and the remarkably folded and lobed cap margin with dull pinkish or rosy tones within the folds are the most distinguishing features. The cap surface quickly stains pale gray with NH4OH. Cap: 6–16 cm wide, pulvinate and distinctly folded and lobed at first, becoming broadly convex in age, margin with a narrow band of sterile tissue, strongly incurved, undulating, pinched and lobed when young and remaining so well into maturity; surface dry, somewhat velvety, with irregular pits and depressions, sometimes cracked in age, color variable, brick red or rosy red over a yellow ground color when young, becoming yellow orange or mustard yellow with dull pinkish or rosy tones within the folds, with burgundy-red or brownish-red splashes on portions of mature specimens, slowly bruising greenish blue to grayish blue, especially along the margin; flesh thick, firm, pale yellow to yellow, becoming darker yellow when exposed, sometimes slowly staining grayish blue; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: yellow when young, becoming olive yellow to olive brown at maturity, rapidly staining greenish blue to grayish blue when bruised, dull brownish red around marginal folds, conspicuously depressed at the stalk in age; tubes 4–13 mm deep. Stalk: strongly tapered downward, ventricose or with a pinched base, solid; surface scurfy-punctate nearly overall, sometimes smooth at the apex, often longitudinally striate, dull burgundy red to brownish red over a yellow ground color, darker at the base, typically yellow at the apex, staining greenish blue to grayish blue when bruised or handled, typically with pale-yellow basal mycelium; flesh concolorous with and staining like the cap flesh, usually orange yellow to orange near the base. Habitat and season: solitary, scattered, or in groups or clusters in grassy areas under oaks; late summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: currently known only from Dunnellon, Florida, distribution limits yet to be established; occasional. Spore print: olive brown. Microscopic features: spores 11–17 × 3–5 µm, subellipsoid to subfusoid, smooth, hyaline to pale brownish yellow. Edibility: unknown. Lookalikes: The Baorangia bicolor complex (p. 74) is similar but is much less robust, hefty, and dense. It has a darker-red cap with an even margin that
236 · Boletes of Eastern North America is not distinctly folded and lobed, a red stalk that is not tapered downward, and smaller spores, 8–12 × 3.5–5 µm. Genus Leccinellum Bresinsky & Manfr. Binder The genus Leccinellum was erected in 2003 to accommodate those species formerly classified in the genus Leccinum that have a cap cuticle consisting of a trichodermium of septate hyphae with short, ellipsoid to clavate or subglobose terminal elements or markedly inflated hyphae. Andreas Bresinsky and Manfred Binder recognized the cap cuticle of Leccinum species as having long and narrow hyphae or rarely short hyphae, with terminal elements that are not inflated. Leccinellum is a small genus of medium to large terrestrial boletes that have solid stalks that are ornamented with scabers, which may or may not darken as specimens mature. Four species of Leccinellum are currently known from eastern North America. Leccinellum albellum (A)
Leccinellum · 237 Leccinellum albellum (B) Leccinellum albellum (C)
238 · Boletes of Eastern North America Leccinellum albellum (Peck) Bresinsky & Manfr. Binder = Leccinum albellum (Peck) Singer Common name(s): none. Overview: Although the term albellum means “whitish,” specimens with various colors, especially white, brown, and gray, commonly grow beside each other in the same group. Collections of white specimens with white scabers that remain white to maturity were made from several states and originally thought to be a new species. These specimens, along with collections of typical brown and gray specimens with dark scabers, were sent to Dr. Matthew Smith at the University of Florida for molecular analysis. He sequenced ITS and 28S rDNA from all of these specimens and verified their identity as Leccinellum albellum. Cap: 2–8 cm wide, obtuse to convex, becoming broadly convex in age, margin even or with a narrow band of sterile tissue; surface dry or moist, glabrous or somewhat velvety, often developing large, shallow depressions at maturity, often with a conspicuous gelatinous layer beneath the cuticle, sometimes cracked in age, color highly variable, white, whitish, buff to pinkish buff or pale tan, pale gray to pinkish gray, or pinkish brown to medium brown, sometimes tinged yellow or with a bluish cast; flesh white, not staining when cut; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: initially white, becoming buff to pale brown or pale gray in age, not staining when bruised, depressed near the stalk at maturity; tubes 2–10 mm deep. Stalk: nearly equal to enlarged downward, sometimes with a bent, slightly bulbous base, solid overall or stuffed in the lower portion; surface dry, white to whitish or pale olive buff, with tiny white scabers that remain white or darken to brownish or grayish in age, sometimes staining orange yellow when handled; flesh white, unchanging when exposed. Habitat and season: scattered or in groups on the ground or among mosses under broadleaf trees, especially oak; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada south to Florida, west to Missouri; fairly common. Spore print: brown to dark olive brown. Microscopic features: spores 14–22 × 4–6 µm, ellipsoidal to subfusiform, smooth, pale brownish yellow. Edibility: edible. Lookalikes: Leccinum holopus (p. 248) is a somewhat similar whitish bolete, at least when young, but it is normally larger, is associated with birch, and has a more northern distribution.
Leccinellum crocipodium (A) Leccinellum crocipodium (B)
240 · Boletes of Eastern North America Leccinellum crocipodium (Letell.) Watling = Leccinum nigrescens Singer Common name(s): none. Overview: The term crocipodium means “saffron foot,” a reference to the stalk’s ground color. Reliable field features for identifying this bolete include a wrinkled, pitted, dark-brown to blackish-brown cap, pale-yellow to dingy-yellow pores, and a stalk that is typically swollen near the middle or toward the base. The cap surface stains reddish brown with NH4OH and is negative with FeSO4. Cap: 4–15 cm wide, convex, becoming broadly convex, margin even, incurved at first and remaining so well into maturity; surface dry to moist but not viscid, wrinkled, uneven, pitted, often coarsely cracked in age, dark brown to blackish brown when young, fading to pale yellow brown in age; flesh pale yellow, staining pinkish gray to dull reddish or pale fuscous when exposed, sometimes slowly; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: pale yellow to dingy yellow, often staining brownish when bruised, depressed at the stalk in age; tubes 8–15 mm deep. Stalk: swollen near the middle or toward the base and tapered in either direction, solid; surface dry, pale yellow and often dull reddish at the base, with brown scabers that darken to blackish brown in age. Habitat and season: solitary, scattered, or in groups in sandy soil or sometimes in grassy areas under broadleaf trees, especially oak; summer, fall, and early winter. Distribution and frequency: New England south to Florida, west to the Great Lakes region and Texas; occasional to fairly common in the southern part of its range. Spore print: honey yellow. Microscopic features: spores 14–20 × 6–9 µm, fusiform, smooth, yellowish; caulocystidia narrowly fusoid-ventricose with flexuous necks or broadly fusoid-ventricose to clavate-mucronate. Edibility: edible. Lookalikes: Leccinum rugosiceps (p. 262) has a paler orange-yellow cap when young that becomes yellow brown in age, a nearly equal stalk with paler scabers, and flesh that slowly stains reddish or burgundy when exposed and orange-red with KOH. Also compare with Leccinellum quercophilum (p. 244) and Leccinellum griseum (p. 242), both of which have whitish to grayish or grayish-brown pores.
Leccinellum griseum (A) Leccinellum griseum (B)
242 · Boletes of Eastern North America Leccinellum griseum (Quél.) Bresinsky & Manfr. Binder = Leccinum griseum (Quél.) Singer Common name(s): none. Overview: The term griseum means “grayish,” a reference to this bolete’s somber colors. The cap surface stains dark red brown with KOH and brown with NH4OH and is negative with FeSO4. The flesh stains light brown with KOH, very pale yellow and soon fuscous with NH4OH, and greenish blue with FeSO4. Cap: 3.5–9 cm wide, pulvinate when young, becoming convex to broadly convex or nearly plane in age, margin even, incurved at first; surface dry, somewhat velvety, distinctly wrinkled and pitted or sometimes nearly smooth, becoming conspicuously cracked at maturity, with whitish to buff flesh showing in the cracks, dull brown to blackish brown when young, typically developing olive-green tones and becoming a mixture of these colors in age; flesh whitish to buff, sometimes staining pinkish brown and then darkening to reddish cinnamon, developing bluish-gray tints and slowly darkening; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: whitish to grayish buff at first, darkening at maturity, staining brown when bruised; tubes 3–15 mm deep. Stalk: enlarged downward or nearly equal, often with a pinched base, typically curved especially on the lower portion, solid; surface dry, with conspicuous dark-brown to blackish scabers over a whitish ground color, darkening when handled or bruised, sometimes reddish cinnamon near the base, with whitish basal mycelium; flesh concolorous with and staining like the cap flesh. Habitat and season: solitary, scattered, or in groups under oaks; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: Georgia south to Florida, west to Texas; occasional. Spore print: dark brown. Microscopic features: spores 16–19(22) × 5.5–7(8) µm, fusiform to subfusiform, smooth, yellowish to pale brown. Edibility: unknown. Lookalikes: Leccinellum quercophilum (p. 244) is similar, but its cap is dull orangish brown to tawny brown when young; its stalk has whitish to palebrown scabers that become darker brown in age; and all parts stain green when bruised or in age. Leccinellum crocipodium (p. 240) has pale-yellow to dingy-yellow pores and a stalk that is swollen near the middle or toward the base. Leccinum rugosiceps (p. 262) has a paler orange-yellow cap when young that becomes yellow brown in age, a nearly equal stalk with paler scabers, and flesh that slowly stains reddish or burgundy when exposed and stains orange red with KOH.
Leccinellum quercophilum (A) Leccinellum quercophilum (B)
244 · Boletes of Eastern North America Leccinellum quercophilum Kuo Common name(s): none. Overview: The term quercophilum means “oak loving.” The cap surface is negative with NH4OH or FeSO4 and stains yellowish or is negative with KOH; the flesh stains gray to greenish gray with KOH, greenish or negative with FeSO4, and pinkish or negative with NH4OH. Cap: 3–9 cm wide, obtuse to convex, becoming broadly convex, sometimes with a low broad umbo, margin even; surface dry, glabrous, wrinkled and pitted when young, becoming conspicuously cracked, with whitish to grayish flesh showing in the spaces of mature specimens, dull orange brown to tawny brown when young, becoming dark brown to grayish brown in age, discoloring bluish green near the margin with age; flesh very thick and soft, whitish but gradually becoming grayish when cut, with or without an initial faintly pinkish phase; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: whitish to grayish or pale grayish brown when young, darkening in age, staining greenish when bruised or in age and then often slowly becoming dingy yellowish brown to dark brown, depressed at the stalk at maturity; tubes 1–2 cm deep, creamy whitish, slowly staining dark brown to blackish when bruised. Stalk: somewhat enlarged downward to slightly ventricose or nearly equal, solid; surface dry, whitish to grayish or pale brown, with whitish to pale-brown scabers that become darker brown in age, frequently stained greenish on the lower portion, base with white appressed mycelium; flesh whitish, slowly staining grayish when exposed, sometimes staining greenish near the base. Habitat and season: scattered or in groups in lawns or grassy areas under broadleaf trees, especially oak, or in woodlands where oak is present; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: reported from Illinois and Michigan; occasional. Spore print: cinnamon brown. Microscopic features: spores 15–18(28) × 5–8 µm, fusiform to subfusiform, smooth, yellowish to pale brown. Edibility: edible but too uncommon to gather for the table. Lookalikes: Leccinellum griseum (p. 242) is similar, but it has a dull-brown to blackish-brown cap when young, and its pores do not stain green when bruised. Leccinellum crocipodium (p. 240) has pale-yellow to dingy-yellow pores and a stalk that is swollen near the middle or toward the base. Leccinum rugosiceps (p. 262) has a paler, orange-yellow cap, white flesh that slowly stains reddish or burgundy when cut, dull-yellow to dingy-yellowish pores, and a pale-yellow to brownish stalk with brown scabers.
Leccinum · 245 Genus Leccinum S.F. Gr ay The genus Leccinum was erected in 1821 to accommodate species that have scabers on their stalks and were formerly classified in the genus Boletus. Leccinum species have a cap cuticle that is typically composed of long and narrow or rarely short hyphae that are not inflated. The cuticle of at least one species has terminal elements that are markedly inflated, a feature found in species of the similar genus Leccinellum. Leccinum is a large genus of medium to large terrestrial boletes with solid stalks that are ornamented with scabers that usually darken as specimens mature. A few species in other genera have stalks ornamented with raised dots and points called punctae, but the punctae do not darken at maturity. Leccinum species have a sterile cap margin that often extends beyond the tube layer on young specimens. Spore-print colors include dark olive buff to olive brown, cinnamon brown, yellow brown, and brown. Leccinum chalybaeum Singer Common name(s): none. Overview: This southern bolete was first described by Rolf Singer in 1945. William Murrill thought that it was a variety of Leccinum scabrum (p. 265) and in 1948 published it as Leccinum scabrum var. chalybaeum, Leccinum chalybaeum
246 · Boletes of Eastern North America which it clearly is not. The flesh of Leccinum chalybaeum stains yellow with KOH, slowly pale greenish blue with NH4OH, and greenish blue with FeSO4. The term chalybaeum means “steel gray,” a color often present on the cap. Cap: 4–13 cm wide, obtuse at first, becoming convex to broadly convex, margin even; surface viscid when fresh, somewhat shiny when dry, smooth to slightly subtomentose, sometimes finely cracked in age, buff to pinkish buff when young, becoming dingy yellow brown, sometimes with grayish-green to bluish-gray tints, especially near the margin; flesh stains pinkish and then slowly pinkish brown to purplish gray to blackish when exposed. Pores and tubes: whitish to beige, usually staining dingy olive to brown when bruised, deeply depressed at the stalk in age; tubes up to 1.6 cm deep. Stalk: fairly short and thick, up to 8 cm long and 2 cm thick, enlarged downward or nearly equal, solid, extremely firm, almost woody; surface dry whitish beneath dingy-white scabers that darken to brown at maturity; flesh concolorous with and staining like the cap flesh. Habitat and season: scattered or in groups in sandy soil under oak or in mixed woods with oak and pine; summer through winter. Distribution and frequency: Georgia south to Florida, west to Texas; occasional. Spore print: olive brown. Microscopic features: spores 16–18 × 5–6 µm, fusoid, smooth, brownish; caulocystidia fusoid to fusoid-ampullaceous. Edibility: edible. Lookalikes: Leccinum scabrum (p. 265) has a more northern range and is associated with birch. It has a grayish-brown to yellow-brown or darkbrown cap, white flesh that usually does not stain when exposed, a longer and thinner stalk with blackish scabers, and sometimes green stains near the base.
Leccinum · 247 Leccinum glutinopallens A. H. Sm., Thiers & Watling Common name(s): none. Overview: The term glutinopallens means “slimy and pale,” a reference to the cap of this rather nondescript bolete. The key identification features include a slimy-viscid, vinaceous-buff to pale grayish-brown cap, white flesh that stains pinkish tan when exposed, whitish to grayish flesh that stains brown, and a whitish stalk with whitish scabers that become tan to brown in age. Cap: 5–9 cm wide, convex, becoming broadly convex at maturity, margin incurved at first, even; surface slimy-viscid when fresh, glabrous, dingy vinaceous buff to pale pinkish gray or pale grayish brown, sometimes paler along the margin; flesh very soft, white, slowly staining pinkish tan when exposed, and with a bluish-green tinge developing above the tubes of mature specimens; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: whitish to grayish, staining pinkish brown and then slowly dark brown when bruised, depressed at the stalk in age; tubes pale brown, 8–15 mm deep. Stalk: nearly equal or enlarged downward, often club-shaped at the base, solid; surface dry, whitish, stained pinkish tan to brown when handled or bruised, ornamented at first with very fine whitish scabers that become pinkish tan or darker brown in age; flesh concolorous with and staining like the cap flesh, often developing greenish-blue areas. Leccinum glutinopallens
248 · Boletes of Eastern North America Habitat and season: scattered or in groups on the ground or among mosses in mixed woods of aspen, birch, balsam fir, and spruce; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada west to Michigan, distribution limits yet to be determined; occasional. Spore print: brown. Microscopic features: spores 15–19 × 5–6.5 µm, broadly fusiform, smooth, pale brown. Edibility: unknown. Lookalikes: Leccinum holopus (p. 248) is similar, but its cap is paler and not slimy, and its pores remain unchanged or stain yellowish when cut or bruised. Leccinum holopus (Rostk.) Watling = Boletus holopus Rostkovius = Leccinum holopus var. americanum A. H. Sm. & Thiers = Leccinum holopus var. holopus (Rostk.) Watling Common name(s): Ghost Bolete, White Birch Bolete, White Bog Bolete Overview: When young, this ghostly white bolete that flourishes in wet woods and boggy places is not difficult to recognize. However, with Leccinum holopus
Leccinum · 249 age the cap becomes darker, having brown to greenish or olivaceous tones. It is essentially a northern species but extends southward into the central Appalachians, especially at higher elevations. The term holopus means “whole or entire foot,” likely a reference to this bolete’s solid stalk. The cap surface stains pinkish with NH4OH and slowly grayish olive with FeSO4. Cap: 3–10 cm wide, acutely convex, becoming broadly convex to nearly plane in age, margin with a narrow band of sterile tissue; surface glabrous or nearly so, somewhat viscid when moist or in age, predominantly white or whitish when young, occasionally with gray, buff, tan, or pinkish tints, often darkening with age and developing a greenish tinge; flesh thick, white, unchanging when cut or rubbed or slowly and faintly staining pinkish or red; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: whitish to slightly grayish or pale dingy brown, unchanging or staining yellowish or slowly brown when cut or bruised, depressed at the stalk when mature; tubes 1–2.5 cm deep. Stalk: equal or enlarging slightly downward, solid; surface dry or moist, whitish beneath the scabers that are whitish when young and darken to tan or darker in age, occasionally with greenish stains on the lower portion; flesh concolorous with the cap flesh. Habitat and season: solitary to scattered on the ground in and around bogs, cedar swamps, or woodlands where birch and hemlock are present; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada south to New England and New York and central Appalachians, west to Minnesota; fairly common in the north woods, less frequent southward. Spore print: brown. Microscopic features: spores 14–20 × 5–6.5 µm, subfusoid, smooth, pale brown. Edibility: edible. Lookalikes: Leccinum glutinopallens (p. 247) has a slimy-viscid, dingy vinaceous-buff to pale pinkish-gray or pale grayish-brown cap, and its pores stain pinkish brown and then slowly dark brown when bruised. Also compare with Leccinellum albellum (p. 238), which is smaller and grows under oaks.
Leccinum insigne (A) Leccinum insigne (B)
Leccinum · 251 Leccinum insigne A. H. Sm., Thiers, & Watling Common name(s): Aspen Bolete, Aspen Scaber Stalk Overview: The term insigne means “decorated,” a reference to the conspicuous dark scabers on this bolete’s stalk. The cap surface stains grayish with KOH and is negative with NH4OH or FeSO4. The flesh stains bluish with FeSO4 and grayish with KOH and is negative with NH4OH. Cap: 7.5–15 cm wide, convex to broadly convex, with a band of sterile tissue that extends beyond the tube layer and remains as hanging flaps on the margin of mature specimens; surface dry, somewhat granular to fibrous, orange to rusty cinnamon or brick red, becoming brownish orange in age; flesh white, staining purplish gray to purplish black and lacking a red stage when cut or broken; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: whitish at first, becoming yellowish to olive brown with age, often staining brownish when bruised; tubes 1–2 cm deep. Stalk: equal or enlarged downward, often with a pinched base, solid; surface dry, whitish beneath a covering of brownish to blackish scabers; flesh concolorous with and staining like the cap flesh. Habitat and season: scattered or in groups in woods and parklands beneath big-toothed aspen, quaking aspen, and birch; summer and fall. Leccinum insigne (C)
252 · Boletes of Eastern North America Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada, south to North Carolina, west to Minnesota; occasional to locally common. Spore print: yellow brown to olive brown. Microscopic features: spores 11–16 × 4–5 µm, ellipsoidal, smooth, yellowish. Edibility: edible with caution. This is a good edible in our experience, but some species of Leccinum with orange-red caps have caused gastrointestinal upset in some individuals. Lookalikes: Leccinum vulpinum (p. 274) is nearly identical, but it grows in association with conifers. Leccinum potteri A. H. Sm., Thiers & Watling (not illustrated) has been reported from Michigan east to New York and grows under aspen or oak. It has a dull-orange to brick-orange or tawny-orange cap that is first covered by a thin whitish veil that soon breaks up to form small, scattered patches that eventually disappear. Also compare with Leccinum versipelle (p. 271). Leccinum insolens (A)
Leccinum · 253 Leccinum insolens A. H. Sm., Thiers & Watling = Leccinum insolens var. brunneo-maculatum A. H. Sm., Thiers & Watling = Leccinum insolens var. insolens A. H. Sm., Thiers & Watling Common name(s): none. Overview: The term insolens means “unusual in relation to others.” The flesh stains blue with FeSO4. The key identification features include a dull-white to buff or brownish cap, whitish flesh that stains grayish and then fuscous when exposed, whitish to buff pores that bruise yellow brown, and a whitish stalk. Cap: 5–15 cm wide, convex, becoming broadly convex to nearly plane, margin incurved, with a narrow band of sterile tissue; surface dry, fibrillose to minutely scaly, sometimes finely cracked, dull white to pale pinkish buff or pale grayish cinnamon buff with dull pinkish buff along the margin, typically darkening to pale yellow brown in age, sometimes staining dull brown when bruised; flesh whitish, staining pinkish gray to purple gray and then fuscous when exposed or sometimes lacking the preliminary pinkish coloration before staining purple gray to fuscous; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: white when young, becoming olive buff and then pale yellow brown in age, staining yellow brown when bruised, depressed at the stalk at maturity; tubes 8–20 mm deep. Leccinum insolens (B)
254 · Boletes of Eastern North America Stalk: nearly equal or enlarged downward, solid; surface dry, whitish, with whitish scabers that become coarse and grayish brown to blackish brown in age on a whitish ground color; flesh concolorous with the cap flesh, often staining reddish only in the base or not at all, sometimes staining blue in the base. Habitat and season: solitary, scattered, or in groups under birch and aspen; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada south to New England and New York, west to Minnesota, distribution limits yet to be established; uncommon. Spore print: olive brown to dark brown. Microscopic features: spores 12–15 × 4–8 µm, subellipsoidal to subfusiform, smooth, yellowish. Edibility: reported to be edible. Lookalikes: Leccinum chalybaeum (p. 245) is similar, but its cap often has grayish-green to bluish-gray tints, and it is found in the Southeast from Georgia south to Florida, west to Texas.
Leccinum luteum (A)
256 · Boletes of Eastern North America Leccinum luteum A. H. Sm. & Thiers Common name(s): none. Overview: The term luteum means “yellow,” a reference to the color of this bolete’s cap. The typically wrinkled and pitted, yellow to olive-brown cap, whitish to olive-buff pore surface, and association with American hornbeam and ironwood are this uncommon bolete’s distinctive features. Cap: 3–7 cm wide, obtuse to convex when young, obtuse to broadly convex in age, margin even; surface slightly viscid or dry, glabrous, typically wrinkled and shallowly pitted at maturity, becoming cracked in age, pale yellow when young, darkening to yellow and finally olive brown in age; flesh whitish to pale yellow, staining pinkish gray to pinkish brown and eventually dark brown when exposed; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: whitish at first, becoming olive buff at maturity, staining pinkish gray when bruised, deeply depressed at the stalk in age; tubes 8–16 mm deep. Stalk: enlarged downward, often curved, solid; surface dry, whitish on the upper portion, pale yellow below, with grayish to blackish scabers; flesh concolorous with and staining like the cap flesh. Habitat and season: scattered or in groups under American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana); summer and fall. Leccinum luteum (B)
Leccinum · 257 Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada south to West Virginia, west to Minnesota; uncommon. Spore print: olive brown. Microscopic features: spores 17–20 × 5–6.5 µm, subfusoid, smooth, yellowish to brownish. Edibility: edible. Lookalikes: Leccinum rugosiceps (p. 262) has a wrinkled and shallowly pitted, orange-yellow cap that becomes yellow brown in age and sometimes is dark tobacco brown on the disc. Its flesh slowly, sometimes faintly, stains reddish or burgundy when exposed, and its cap surface stains orange red with KOH. Leccinum pseudoinsigne A. H. Sm. & Thiers Common name(s): none. Overview: The term pseudoinsigne means “resembling insigne,” a reference to the similar species Leccinum insigne (p. 251). The flesh stains olive gray with FeSO4. The key identification features include the bright-yellow, orange-yellow, or bright-orange to bright orange-red cap color and the preliminary change to reddish cinnamon when the flesh of young specimens is cut. Cap: 4–15 cm wide, obtuse to convex, becoming broadly convex in age, margin with flaps of sterile tissue; surface dry to slightly viscid, glabrous, smooth Leccinum pseudoinsigne
258 · Boletes of Eastern North America or nearly so, bright yellow, orange yellow, or bright orange to bright orange red, fading to orange buff in age; flesh of young specimens white, staining reddish cinnamon and then bluish fuscous when exposed, often staining violet gray without a reddish phase when the flesh of mature specimens is exposed; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: whitish to pale olive buff at first, becoming brownish in age, staining olive to olive fuscous when bruised, depressed at the stalk in age; tubes 8–15 mm deep. Stalk: nearly equal or slightly enlarged downward, solid; surface dry, whitish, with whitish scabers that become orange brown and finally blackish in age; flesh concolorous with and staining like the cap flesh. Habitat and season: scattered or in groups under aspen and birch; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: New England west to the Great Lakes region and south to the central Appalachians, distribution limits yet to be established; occasional. Spore print: dark yellow brown. Microscopic features: spores 13–17 × 3.5–5 µm, narrowly fusoid, smooth, ochraceous. Edibility: edible. Lookalikes: Leccinum insigne (p. 251) is similar, but it has an orange to rusty-cinnamon or brick-red cap, and its flesh stains purplish gray to purplish black without a reddish phase. Other similar Leccinum species have darker rusty-brown caps. Leccinum roseoscabrum (A)
Leccinum · 259 Leccinum roseoscabrum Singer & R. Williams Common name(s): none. Overview: This southern bolete has a limited distribution and is not common. The term roseoscabrum means “rosy-pink scabers,” which alludes to the distinctive rose-pink scabers on the stalks of fresh specimens. With age or when a specimen is handled, the scabers darken but usually retain enough color to facilitate identification of this delicately beautiful species. The cap surface stains brown with KOH and is negative with FeSO4 or NH4OH. The flesh stains blue green with FeSO4 and pale orange with NH4OH and is negative with KOH. Cap: 2–7 cm wide, obtuse to convex, becoming broadly convex in age, margin with a narrow band of sterile tissue; surface dry to somewhat viscid, smooth to slightly wrinkled or somewhat shallowly pitted, dark brown to chestnut brown, fading in age, often with paler spots; flesh firm, white at first, slowly staining pink and then grayish and finally dark purple brown when exposed; odor not distinctive; taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: white to whitish when young, becoming yellowish or grayish with a dull-orange tint, staining brownish when bruised, often depressed at the stalk in age; tubes up to 13 mm deep. Stalk: enlarged downward, often curved, sometimes swollen near the midportion, typically with a pinched base, solid; surface dry, white on the upper Leccinum roseoscabrum (B)
260 · Boletes of Eastern North America portion, pinkish on the lower, sometimes with green or yellow at the base, covered with coarse rosy-pink scabers that darken to brown or dark brown in age or when handled, basal mycelium sparse and white; flesh white at first, quickly staining yellow near the base, then pinkish and purplish, and finally dark purple brown; flesh of the upper portion stains pink, then slowly grayish, and finally dark purple brown. Habitat and season: scattered or in groups in grassy areas or under broadleaf trees, especially oak; summer, fall, and early winter. Distribution and frequency: reported from Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; occasional. Spore print: yellowish brown. Microscopic features: spores 12–18 × 3.5–6 µm, fusoid to cylindric, smooth, pale ochraceous brown. Edibility: edible and of good flavor. Lookalikes: Leccinum scabrum (p. 265) has a larger brown cap that is often distinctly cracked at maturity, grayish-white pores that stain brownish, and a whitish to pale-tan stalk with dark-brown to blackish scabers, and it occurs with birch. Leccinum rubropunctum
Leccinum · 261 Leccinum rubropunctum (Peck) Singer = Boletus rubropunctus Peck Common name(s): Ashtray Bolete. Overview: The term rubropunctum means “having red punctae.” The cap surface stains amber with KOH or NH4OH and pale olive with FeSO4. The flesh stains pale orange with KOH, displays a brief blue-green flash with NH4OH, and stains grayish olive with FeSO4. Cap: 2–9 cm wide, convex to broadly convex, margin even; surface conspicuously furrowed or wrinkled or sometimes smooth, slightly viscid or dry, glabrous, bay red to chestnut red or reddish brown; flesh yellowish, not staining when exposed; odor unpleasant, reminiscent of stale cigarette butts in an ashtray; taste unpleasant. Pores and tubes: bright golden yellow at first, becoming dull yellow to brownish yellow in age, not staining blue when cut or bruised, depressed at the stalk at maturity; tubes 9–15 mm deep. Stalk: tapered downward, often curved toward the base, solid; surface dry, covered with reddish dots and points on a yellow ground color, with pale-yellow basal mycelium; flesh concolorous with the cap flesh. Habitat and season: solitary, scattered, or in groups in conifer or broadleaf woods; summer and fall, also winter in the southern part of its range. Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada south to Florida west to Minnesota and Mississippi; occasional to locally fairly common. Spore print: olive brown. Microscopic features: spores 16–22 × 5.5–7.5 µm, subfusiform to somewhat oblong, smooth, pale brown. Edibility: edible but unpleasant tasting. Lookalikes: Hemileccinum subglabripes (p. 220) is similar, but its flesh lacks a distinctive odor, and it has a yellow stalk with a thinner coating of yellow to red punctae and smaller spores, 11–17 × 3–5 µm.
262 · Boletes of Eastern North America Leccinum rugosiceps (Peck) Singer = Boletus rugosiceps Peck = Krombholzia rugosiceps (Peck) Singer = Krombholziella rugosiceps (Peck) Šutara Common name(s): Wrinkled Leccinum Overview: There is nothing particularly remarkable about this handsome bolete. Its scabrous stalk quickly puts it into the Rough Stalk group. The typically wrinkled cap, minute pale-yellow pores that do not stain at first when bruised but eventually stain yellowish-brown, the cream-colored flesh that discolors dark coffee brown where there is insect damage, especially in the stalk, and frequent occurrence under pin oak provide the best clues for identification. The term rugosiceps means “coarsely wrinkled cap.” The cap surface stains orange red with KOH, stains reddish or is negative with NH4OH, and is negative with FeSO4. Cap: 5–15 cm wide, convex to broadly convex, margin with a narrow band of sterile tissue; surface dry, distinctly wrinkled and shallowly pitted at maturity, often finely cracked in age, with pale-yellow flesh showing through the fissures, color orange yellow, becoming yellow brown in age, at times dark Leccinum rugosiceps
Leccinum · 263 tobacco brown on the disc; flesh white or pale yellow, slowly staining reddish or burgundy when exposed, sometimes only faintly, with stains most visible at the juncture of the cap and stalk; odor not distinctive; taste not distinctive or somewhat astringent. Pores and tubes: dull yellow to dingy yellowish when young, sometimes ochraceous to dingy olive brown in age, unchanging or slowly staining yellowish-brown, rarely very slowly staining blue green when cut or bruised, deeply depressed at the stalk in age; tubes 8–14 mm deep, often longer than the thickness of the cap flesh. Stalk: nearly equal or tapered at the apex or base, solid; surface dry, pale yellow to brownish beneath pale-brown scabers that darken in age and sometimes form lines that mimic reticulation, not staining blue when handled or bruised; flesh concolorous with and staining like the cap flesh. Habitat and season: solitary or in groups under oaks, especially pin oak, in forests or shaded lawns; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: widely distributed throughout eastern North America; occasional to locally common, especially in areas landscaped with pin oak. Spore print: olive brown. Microscopic features: spores 15–21 × 5–6 µm, fusiform, smooth, pale brown. Edibility: edible when young and firm but possibly with a slightly unpleasant aftertaste. Some collections are very good. Lookalikes: Leccinum subgranulosum A. H. Sm. & Thiers (not illustrated) has a dry, granulose-scaly to fibrillose, dull yellow-brown cap that becomes minutely cracked in age; whitish flesh that slowly stains brownish when exposed; whitish pores that darken at maturity; and blackish scabers that are finer on the upper portion and coarser on the lower portion over a whitish ground color. Its spores measure 15–21 × 5.5–7.5 µm, and it grows in broadleaf woods, especially under birch. Leccinellum crocipodium (p. 240) has a darker cap, darker scabers on the stalk, and flesh that stains pinkish gray to dull reddish or pale fuscous when exposed. Also compare with Leccinellum quercophilum (p. 244) and Leccinellum griseum (p. 242), both of which have darker caps with more pronounced cracks or fissures.
Leccinum scabrum (A) Leccinum scabrum (B)
Leccinum · 265 Leccinum scabrum (Bull.) Gray = Leccinum oxydabile (Singer) Singer = Leccinum roseofractum Watling = Leccinum rotundifoliae A. H. Sm., Thiers & Watling Common name(s): Common Scaber Stalk, Birch Bolete, Brown Birch Bolete Overview: The term scabrum means “rough or covered with scabers.” The current description of Leccinum scabrum may differ somewhat from those published in other books because it includes the features of several taxa previously thought to be separate species (see the list of synonyms). The key identification features include a brown cap that is often distinctly cracked at maturity, grayish-white pores that stain brownish, a whitish to pale-tan stalk with dark-brown to blackish scabers, and an association with birch. Cap: 4–12 cm wide, obtuse to broadly convex, margin even, incurved at first; surface moist or dry, glabrous or with matted fibrils, breaking up into tiny, flattened scales and often distinctly cracked at maturity, grayish brown to yellow brown or dark brown; flesh whitish, unchanging or slowly staining reddish when exposed and finally brownish or pale grayish after several hours; odor and taste not distinctive. Leccinum scabrum (C)
266 · Boletes of Eastern North America Pores and tubes: grayish white, often with brownish spots, staining brownish when bruised, becoming ochraceous, grayish, or brownish in age, depressed at the stalk at maturity; tubes 7–18 mm deep. Stalk: enlarged downward or nearly equal, solid; surface dry, whitish to pale tan, covered with dark-brown to blackish scabers over a whitish to grayish ground color, sometimes with blue or greenish-blue stains near the base; scabers fine at the apex and gradually coarser downward; flesh concolorous with and unchanging or staining like the cap flesh when exposed, sometimes with blue or greenish-blue stains near the base. Habitat and season: solitary, scattered, or in groups under birch; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada south to northern Georgia, west to Minnesota and Arkansas; common. Spore print: brown. Microscopic features: spores 14–19(22) × (4)5–6.5 µm, fusiform, smooth, ochraceous; caulocystidia lageniform to clavate, hyaline or with grayish-brown content in KOH. Edibility: edible. Lookalikes: Leccinum subleucophaeum (p. 269) has a darker, often mottled cap, and its stalk flesh stains grayish to brownish, with or without a reddish intermediate phase. Leccinum chalybaeum (p. 245) is a southern species associated with oak. It has a viscid or shiny buff to pinkish-buff cap that becomes dingy yellow brown with age, often with grayish-green to bluish-gray tints, especially near the margin. Leccinum snellii
Leccinum · 267 Leccinum snellii A. H. Sm., Thiers & Watling = Krombholziella snellii (A. H. Sm., Thiers & Watling) Šutara Common name(s): Snell’s Bolete, Snell’s Leccinum Overview: This small- to medium-size bolete often occurs in dark, moist woods or bog margins where birch is present. It is one of the first boletes to appear in spring and can be found throughout the mushroom season. The combination of a dark-brown to nearly black or sometimes paler-brown cap that is frequently mottled with pallid or cream areas, a dense coating of black stalk scabers, and the blue-green and reddish stains of the stalk flesh separate this bolete from other similar species. It was named in honor of the American boletologist Walter H. Snell (1889–1980). Cap: 3–9 cm wide, rounded to convex, becoming broadly convex to nearly plane in age, margin even; surface dry, smooth, dark brown to blackish, typically with paler mottling, covered with tiny dark-brown to black fibrils when young, often fading to dark yellowish brown in age as the fibrils erode; flesh white, staining reddish, sometimes slowly, when exposed, especially at the juncture of the cap and stalk, darkening to purple gray or black after one hour or more; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: whitish when young, becoming grayish to dingy grayish brown in age, unchanging or staining yellowish or brownish when bruised, deeply depressed at the stalk at maturity; tubes 10–15 mm deep. Stalk: nearly equal or slightly enlarged downward, solid; surface dry, whitish beneath a dense coating of gray to black scabers, often with blue-green stains near the base or where damaged; flesh concolorous with the cap flesh, typically staining blue green, at least near the base, and reddish at the apex. Habitat and season: solitary to scattered or in groups in mixed broadleaf forests, especially under yellow birch; spring, summer, and fall. Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada south to North Carolina, west to Minnesota; fairly common. Spore print: brown. Microscopic features: spores 16–22 × 5–7.5 µm, fusoid, smooth, pale brown. Edibility: edible, but its flesh, like that of many boletes in the genus Leccinum, is rather soft except in the button stage. The quality is mediocre, so this bolete is best used in a mix with more-flavored boletes. Lookalikes: Leccinum subleucophaeum (p. 269) is similar, but it lacks the conspicuous orange-red staining of the cut stalk flesh, and it has smaller spores, 13–18 × 4.5–6.5 µm.
Leccinum subleucophaeum (A) Leccinum subleucophaeum (B)
Leccinum · 269 Leccinum subleucophaeum E. A. Dick & Snell = Krombholziella subleucophaeum (E. A. Dick & Snell) Šutara Common name(s): none. Overview: The term subleucophaeum means “somewhat pale grayish and dark brown,” in reference to the colors of this bolete’s cap and pores. This rather darkish bolete is recognized by its dark-brown to blackish-brown and often mottled cap that is sometimes paler toward the margin on young specimens, dark-brown to dark-gray scabers, and white stalk flesh that stains grayish to brownish, with or without a reddish intermediate phase. Cap: 3–14 cm wide, obtuse to convex, becoming broadly convex to nearly plane in age, margin even; surface dry or slightly viscid when moist, nearly glabrous, dark brown with paler mottling, often blackish brown over the disc, sometimes fading to yellowish brown at maturity; flesh white, very slowly staining gray to grayish black or unchanging when exposed; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: whitish at first, becoming grayish to dull grayish brown in age, staining yellowish to brownish when bruised, deeply depressed at the stalk in age; tubes 1–2 cm deep. Leccinum subleucophaeum (C)
270 · Boletes of Eastern North America Stalk: tapered in either direction or nearly equal, solid; surface dry, white, with dark-brown to blackish scabers, often staining bluish near the base; flesh white, staining grayish to brownish, with or without a reddish intermediate phase, sometimes staining bluish. Habitat and season: solitary, scattered, or in groups under broadleaf trees, especially birch or aspen; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada south to New England and New York, west to Minnesota; occasional to fairly common. Spore print: brown. Microscopic features: spores 13–18 × 4.5–6.5 µm, fusiform, smooth, brownish. Edibility: edible. Lookalikes: Leccinum snellii (p. 267) is similar, but the cut flesh at the apex of its stalk soon stains conspicuously orange red, and it has larger spores, 16–22 × 5–7.5 µm. Leccinum griseonigrum A. H. Sm., Thiers & Watling (not illustrated), reported from eastern Canada and New England west to Michigan, has a bluish-brown to bluish-black cap when young that becomes yellowish brown to tan and then cinnamon buff and is often cracked in age. It has white flesh that does not stain reddish but rather slowly and erratically stains blue and then violaceous gray when exposed and whitish pores that become grayish to dingy brownish with age and bruise yellowish or brownish. Its stalk is often curved at the base and has brown to dark-gray scabers over a whitish ground color; its spores measure 13–16 × 4–6 µm; and it grows under quaking aspen. Leccinum flavostipitatum E. A. Dick & Snell (not illustrated) grows under spruce from eastern Canada and New England west to Michigan. It has a gray to blackish-gray or brownish cap, white flesh that stains either slowly pale salmon pink or quickly bright blue green when exposed, and brownish to blackish stalk scabers over a pale-yellow ground color. Its spores measure 9–16 × 3.5–5 µm.
Leccinum · 271 Leccinum versipelle (Fr. and Hök) Snell = Leccinum atrostipitatum A. H. Sm., Thiers & Watling = Leccinum testaceoscabrum Secr. ex Singer Common name(s): none. Overview: The term versipelle means “having skin,” a reference to the thin flaps of tissue on this bolete’s cap margin. The combination of a dull-orange cap with marginal flaps of sterile tissue, exceptionally dense black scabers on both young and mature specimens, white flesh that stains reddish and then purple gray to black, and association with birch is distinctive. Cap: 6–18 cm wide, convex, becoming broadly convex, margin with thin flaps of sterile tissue, at least when young; surface dry to slightly viscid, fibrillose, breaking up to form downy patches or small scales in age, dull orange at first, becoming tan or brownish in age; flesh white, staining pinkish and then purple gray to blackish when exposed, especially at the juncture of the cap and stalk; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: whitish to buff or pale gray when young, becoming dingy white to pale brown, staining olive to dark brownish when bruised, sometimes slowly; tubes paler than the pores, 1–1.8 cm deep. Stalk: nearly equal or enlarged downward, solid; surface dry, with a dense layer of scabers that are dark gray to coal black, rarely whitish, at both youth and maturity, whitish to dingy tan beneath the scabers, sometimes with bluish to blue-green stains on the lower portion; flesh white, staining Leccinum versipelle
272 · Boletes of Eastern North America reddish and then purple gray to black when exposed, sometimes with bluish to blue-green stains at the base. Habitat and season: solitary or scattered in broadleaf forests, under birch; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada south into New England and New York, west to Minnesota; occasional to fairly common. Spore print: brown. Microscopic features: spores 11.5–17 × 4–5 µm, subfusiform, smooth, pale brown. Edibility: edible with caution. Some large orange-red Leccinum species have caused gastrointestinal upset in some individuals. The flesh turns black on cooking. Lookalikes: Leccinum insigne (p. 251) is similar, but its white flesh stains purplish gray to purplish black without a pinkish phase; its stalk has brownish scabers that darken to blackish at maturity; and it grows with aspen or birch. Leccinum subtestaceum A. H. Sm., Thiers & Watling (not illustrated) has a dull rusty-red or liver-colored cap, white flesh that lacks a reddish stage but stains purple gray to blackish, and cinnamon-brown pores that become paler in age. Its tubes slowly stain vinaceous gray when cut; it has dark-brown to black scabers, even on young specimens, and white flesh that sometimes stains bluish near the base. It occurs under aspen and birch from Massachusetts to the Great Lakes region. Leccinum vulpinum (A)
Leccinum vulpinum (B) Leccinum vulpinum (C)
274 · Boletes of Eastern North America Leccinum vulpinum Watling = Boletus vulpinus (Watling) Hlaváček = Krombholziella vulpina (Watling) Šutara = Leccinum aurantiacum var. vulpinum (Watling) Pilát = Leccinum piceinum Pilát & Dermek Common name(s): Brick-red Conifer Scaber Stalk, Foxy Bolete Overview: This common and robust bolete has been misinterpreted and confused in the literature for years. Most American authors have assigned the European name Leccinum aurantiacum (Bull.) Gray when describing Leccinum vulpinum. According to Henk den Bakker and Machiel Noordeloos (2005), Leccinum vulpinum is the correct name for this coniferassociated bolete. The term vulpinum means “fox,” a reference to the cap color. Cap: 5–20 cm wide, convex, becoming broadly convex to nearly plane in age, with a conspicuous sterile margin that splits into hanging flaps on immature caps and is sometimes present on mature specimens; surface dry to slightly viscid, fibrillose, at times becoming finely cracked in age, dull orange to brick red, rusty red, or reddish brown to dark reddish brown; flesh white on exposure, slowly staining grayish to fuscous, with or without a preceding pinkish phase; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: whitish when young, becoming dingier and olive buff to pale grayish brown or pale olive brown in age, slowly staining darker brown to olivaceous when bruised, often depressed at the stalk; tubes concolorous with the pores, 1–2 cm deep. Stalk: nearly equal or enlarged downward, solid; surface whitish, with brown scabers that become blackish in age; flesh concolorous with and staining like the cap flesh in the upper half or more, sometimes with bluish stains near the base. Habitat and season: solitary, but more often scattered or in groups under conifers, especially pines and Norway spruce; summer and fall. Distribution and frequency: widely distributed across the northeast from eastern Canada to Minnesota, south to Tennessee and North Carolina; occasional to locally common. Spore print: brown. Microscopic features: spores 10–18 × 3.5–5 µm, fusiform to subfusiform, smooth, pale brown in water, yellowish in KOH. Edibility: edible with caution. This bolete is a good edible in our experience, but some species of Leccinum with orange-red caps have caused gastrointestinal upset in some individuals. Lookalikes: The Sand-loving Leccinum, Leccinum arenicola Redhead & Watling (not illustrated), reported from New Brunswick south to Cape
Neoboletus · 275 Cod, Massachusetts, is normally partially buried and coated with sand. It grows with beach grass, beach heather, and sedges in coastal sand dunes and their margins. Its cap is 5–15 cm wide and orange to yellowish orange when young, fading to dull cinnamon or ochraceous in age, and its white flesh stains vinaceous and then slowly vinaceous gray to purplish gray. It has whitish to tan or pale yellow-brown pores, and its stalk has hazel to vinaceous-buff scabers on a buff ground color. Also compare with Leccinum insigne (p. 251), which is mycorrhizal with aspens and birch. Genus Neobolet us Gelardi, Simonini & Vizzini The genus Neoboletus was erected in 2014 to accommodate species formerly classified in two genera, Boletus and Gastroboletus. The name Neoboletus means “new Boletus.” The genus has nine species worldwide, including two species currently known to occur in eastern North America. Although the species in this genus vary widely in macroscopic and microscopic features, molecular analysis clearly shows that they are closely related. Neoboletus luridiformis (A)
Neoboletus luridiformis (B) Neoboletus luridiformis (C)
Neoboletus · 277 Neoboletus luridiformis (Rostk.) Gelardi, Simonini & Vizzini = Boletus discolor (Quél.) Boud. = Boletus erythropus f. michiganensis A. H. Sm. & Thiers = Boletus erythropus ssp. discolor (Quél.) Dermek, Kuthan & Singer = Boletus luridiformis Rostk. = Boletus luridiformis ssp. discolor (Quél.) Rauschert Common name(s): Slender Red-pored Bolete Overview: The deep, rich, velvety dark-brown cap and orange-red pores that instantly bruise blackish blue are distinctive features of this beautiful bolete. The term luridiformis means “appearing wan or dull,” a reference to its cap colors. Cap: 5–12 cm wide, convex, becoming broadly convex in age, margin even, incurved at first; surface dry, somewhat velvety, dark brown to nearly blackish brown when young, becoming reddish brown to olive brown at maturity, staining dark blue to blackish brown when bruised; flesh greenish yellow to yellow, instantly staining blue when exposed; odor and taste not distinctive. Pores and tubes: orange red to dull orange, sometimes yellow when very young, especially at the margin, staining blackish blue when bruised, depressed at the stalk; pores minute and stuffed at first; tubes pale yellow, 8–14 mm deep. Neoboletus luridiformis (D)
278 · Boletes of Eastern North America Stalk: nearly equal or enlarged in either direction, solid; surface dry, with reddish to orange-cinnamon punctae over a yellow ground color, often reddish at the base, staining blue when bruised, basal mycelium absent, not reticulate or minutely so at the very apex, lacking reddish hairs at the base; flesh yellow, reddish in the base, rapidly staining blue when exposed. Habitat and season: solitary, scattered, or in groups under conifers or broadleaf trees; summer and fall, also early winter in the southern part of its range. Distribution and frequency: eastern Canada south to South Carolina, west to Minnesota, distribution limits yet to be determined; occasional. Spore print: olive brown. Microscopic features: spores 12–16 × 4.5–6 µm, subfusoid, smooth, ochraceous. Edibility: unknown but reportedly causing gastrointestinal distress. Lookalikes: Suillellus hypocarycinus (p. 310) is very similar, but its stalk has white basal mycelium, and it has different macrochemical test reactions and smaller spores, 8–12 × 3–4 µm. Suillellus luridus (p. 312) has a reticulate stalk. Suillellus subvelutipes (p. 315) often has reddish hairs on the stalk base and a brighter, more orange-colored cap. Neoboletus pseudosulphureus (A)
Neoboletus · 279 Neoboletus pseudosulphureus (Kallenb.) W. Klofac = Boletus pseudosulphureus Kallenb. = Boletus pseudosulphureus var. pallidus Grund & K. A. Harrison Common name(s): none. Overview: This striking bright-yellow bolete that dramatically stains deep blue on all parts is easily identified and a pleasure to encounter. The term pseudosulphureus means “resembling Boletus sulphureus Fr.,” an older name for Buchwaldoboletus sphaerocephalus (p. 179). The bright-yellow cap that becomes reddish brown to brown in age, bright-yellow flesh, bright-yellow pores and stalk, and association with oak and pine are this bolete’s key identifying features. The cap surface stains orange to reddish with KOH, stains grayish to grayish olive with FeSO4, and is negative with NH4OH. Cap: 4–20 cm wide, rounded to convex at first, becoming broadly convex in age, margin even or nearly so; surface dry, covered with tiny, matted fibrils when young, becoming nearly glabrous in age, dull or shiny at maturity, bright yellow, becoming duller yellow to tawny at maturity, typically developing brown to brownish-red tints, especially over the disc in age, quickly staining bluish to bluish black when bruised; flesh bright yellow to greenish yellow, quickly staining blue when exposed; odor not distinctive; taste acidic, astringent, or not distinctive. Neoboletus pseudosulphureus (B)