The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise Part 74

The tube-surface is grayish-white, tubes long, free, mouths minute and gray.

The stem is equal or tapering upward; solid, white with scaly wrinkles; three to five inches long; and is frequently covered with small reddish or blackish dots or scales. The spores are oblong spindle-shaped.

This plant can be easily distinguished by the remnant of the veil which adheres to the margin of the cap and is of the same color. It is frequently turned under the margin adhering to the tubes. It is a large and imposing plant found in sandy soil and especially among the pines. I found it in J. Thwing Brooke's woods, Salem, Ohio. August to October.

_Boletus gracilis. Pk._

THE SLENDER-STEMMED BOLETUS. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 296.--Boletus gracilis. Two-thirds natural size.]

Gracilis means slender, referring to the stem.

The pileus is one to two inches broad, convex, smooth or minutely tomentose, the epidermis frequently cracked as in the ill.u.s.tration; ochraceous-brown, tawny, or reddish brown; flesh white.

The tube surface is convex to plane, depressed around the stem, nearly free, whitish, becoming flesh-colored.

The stem is long and slender, equal or slightly tapering upward, usually curved; pruinose or mealy. The spores are subferruginous, .0005 to .0007 inch long, .0002 to .00025 inch broad.

This is quite a pretty plant, but at first sight it will not be taken for a Boletus. They are not plentiful in our woods. I find them only occasionally and then spa.r.s.ely. They are found in July and August, the months for the Boleti. They grow in leaf mold in mixed woods, especially among beech timber.

_Boletus striaepes. Secr._

Striaepes means striate stem.

The pileus is convex or plane, soft, silky, olivaceous, the cuticle rust-color within, flesh white, yellow next the tubes, sparingly changing to blue.

The tubes are adnate, greenish, their mouths minute, angular, yellow.

The stem is firm, curved, marked with brownish-black striations, yellow, and brownish-rufescent at the base.

The spores are 10-134. _Peck_, Boleti of the U. S.

I found some beautiful specimens in a mixed woods on the Edinger hillside, near Chillicothe. I located them here, but observing that this species was not common I sent some to Prof. Atkinson, who placed them under this species. August.

_Boletus radicans. Pers._

The pileus is convex, dry, subtomentose, olivaceous-cinereus, becoming pale-yellowish, the margin thin, involute. Flesh pale-yellow, taste bitterish.

The tubes are adnate, their mouths large, unequal; lemon-yellow.

The stem is two to three inches long, even, tapering downward and radiating, flocculose with a reddish bloom, pale-yellow, becoming naked and dark with a touch.

The spores are fusiform, olive, 10-12.55. _Peck_, Boleti of the U. S.

I found these specimens in the same locality with the B. striaepes.

The olivaceous cap with its peculiar involute margin and its radiating stem will greatly a.s.sist in its determination. August.

_Boletus subluteus. Pk._

THE YELLOW BOLETUS. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 297.--Boletus subluteus. Natural size.]

Subluteus is from _sub_, under, nearly; _luteus_, yellow.

Pileus is two to three inches broad, convex, becoming plane, quite viscid when moist, dull yellowish to reddish brown, frequently more or less streaked. The flesh is whitish or dull yellow.

The tube surface is plane or convex, the tubes set squarely against the stem, being small, nearly round, yellowish or ochraceous, becoming darker in age.

The stem is rather long, nearly equal, about the color of the cap, dotted both above the ring and below it; the ring is membranaceous, quite variable and persistent, usually collapsing as a narrow ring on the stem. The spores are ochraceous-brown, oblong or elliptical, 8-104-5.

Prof. Atkinson has made a careful study of both the American and the European plants called in this country B. luteus and B. subluteus, and has come to the conclusion that they should all be called B. luteus. In distinguis.h.i.+ng the two we usually say those having much gluten and dotted above the ring are B. luteus, and those dotted both above and below the ring are B. subluteus. The specimens in Figure 297 were collected at the State Farm at Lancaster, Ohio, and photographed by Dr.

Kellerman. They are found in July and August.

_Boletus parasiticus. Bull._

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 298.--Boletus parasiticus.]

Parasiticus means a parasite; so called because it grows on a Scleroderma. It is a small plant and quite rare.

The pileus is one to two inches broad, convex, or nearly plane, dry, silky, becoming glabrous, soon tessellately cracked, grayish or dingy yellow. Tubes decurrent, medium size, golden yellow.

The stem is equal, rigid, incurved, yellow within and without. The spores are oblong-fusiform, pale-brown, 12.5-154. _Peck._

The tubes are rather large and unequal, and inclined to run down upon the stem.

This plant was found near Boston, Ma.s.s., by Mrs. E. B. Blackford and photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Captain McIlvaine says it is edible but not of good flavor. It is found in July and August.

_Boletus separans. Pk._

THE SEPARATING BOLETUS. EDIBLE.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Figure 299.--Boletus separans. One-half natural size.]

Separans, separating, alluding to the tubes sometimes separating from the stem by the expansion of the pileus.

The pileus is convex, thick, smooth, subs.h.i.+ning, often pitted or corrugated; brownish-red or dull-lilac, sometimes fading to yellowish on the margin; flesh white and unchangeable.

Tubes at first are nearly plane, adnate, white and stuffed, then convex, depressed around the stem, ochraceous-yellow or brownish-yellow and sometimes separating from the stem by the expansion of the pileus.