Macrofungi
Covers mushrooms and other non-lichenized fungi that form multicellular fruiting bodies large enough to be seen with the unaided eye.
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Scientific names beginning with B:
34 genera
69 species, 1 subspecies and varieties
69 species, 1 subspecies and varieties
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Index to genera:
Baeospora, Balsamia, Bankera, Barssia, Basidiodendron, Basidioradulum, Batrachochytrium, Battarrea, Beauveria, Belonidium, Belonium, Bertia, Biscogniauxia, Bisporella, Bjerkandera, Bolbitius, Boletellus, Boletopsis, Boletus, Bondarzewia, Boreostereum, Botryobasidium, Botryohypochnus, Botrytis, Bovista, Brauniellula, Bridgeoporus, Brunneoporus, Bryoglossum, Bulgaria, Butlerelfia, Byssomerulius, Byssonectria, ByssoporiaBaeospora myosura – conifer-cone baeospora, conifercone cap, conifer conecap, spruce-cone mushroom
Description: Small, tan to whitish cap with crowded, white gills and white to brownish stalk; on fallen conifer cones
Substrate: Spruce and Douglas fir cones
Spores: September to October
Description: Small, tan to whitish cap with crowded, white gills and white to brownish stalk; on fallen conifer cones
Substrate: Spruce and Douglas fir cones
Spores: September to October
Baeospora myriadophylla – lavender baeospora
Description: Fresh specimens are quite striking when plucked from a log and turned over to reveal the crowded, narrow, lilac gills. The thin-fleshed caps and the stipes are usually brownish, occasionally with lilac tones, and develop grayish or paler tones with age or loss of moisture. The tough, hollow stipe is usually somewhat pruinose above and has white short hairs on the base. B. myriadophylla is an uncommon fungus and usually occurs in small numbers in fall or spring.
Substrate: Hardwood logs and stumps
Spores: June to October
Description: Fresh specimens are quite striking when plucked from a log and turned over to reveal the crowded, narrow, lilac gills. The thin-fleshed caps and the stipes are usually brownish, occasionally with lilac tones, and develop grayish or paler tones with age or loss of moisture. The tough, hollow stipe is usually somewhat pruinose above and has white short hairs on the base. B. myriadophylla is an uncommon fungus and usually occurs in small numbers in fall or spring.
Substrate: Hardwood logs and stumps
Spores: June to October
Bankera violascens – spruce tooth
Description: Bankera violascens has a smooth, then scaly, irregularly lobed cap, which is whitish at first becoming purplish brown with age. The spines below are whitish to gray and 1/4 inches long. The stem is brownish purple, though white at the very top, and normally tapers to the base. The flesh is tinted lilac in the cap, and darker purplish brown in the stem.
Habitat: conifer woodland
Description: Bankera violascens has a smooth, then scaly, irregularly lobed cap, which is whitish at first becoming purplish brown with age. The spines below are whitish to gray and 1/4 inches long. The stem is brownish purple, though white at the very top, and normally tapers to the base. The flesh is tinted lilac in the cap, and darker purplish brown in the stem.
Habitat: conifer woodland
Battarrea phalloides – desert drumstick, flatcap stalked puffball, scaly-stalked puffball, sandy stiltball
Description: The Sandy Stiltball emerges from a whitish, buried “egg” that may remain at the stem base or disintegrate. The cap or head is covered by a white, membranous skin at first, but this later splits apart to reveal a rusty brown spore mass. The stem is hard, dry, shaggy-scaly, and pale brown.
Habitat: Dry woodland, scrub, and desert
Description: The Sandy Stiltball emerges from a whitish, buried “egg” that may remain at the stem base or disintegrate. The cap or head is covered by a white, membranous skin at first, but this later splits apart to reveal a rusty brown spore mass. The stem is hard, dry, shaggy-scaly, and pale brown.
Habitat: Dry woodland, scrub, and desert
Bisporella citrina – minute lemon cup, yellow fairy cups
Description: Bisporella citrina is perhaps the most noticeable of the inoperculate discomycetes, as it is very common, bright yellow, and fruits in large numbers on hardwood branches that have lost their bark. Although there are other small, yellow, cushion-like discomycetes, none of them are as common or fruit in such abundance.
Substrate: Hardwood branches
Description: Bisporella citrina is perhaps the most noticeable of the inoperculate discomycetes, as it is very common, bright yellow, and fruits in large numbers on hardwood branches that have lost their bark. Although there are other small, yellow, cushion-like discomycetes, none of them are as common or fruit in such abundance.
Substrate: Hardwood branches
Bjerkandera adusta – smoky bracket, smoky polypore
Description: Bjerkandera adusta forms flat or shelf-like, often overlapping, tough fruitbodies with smoke gray tubes and small, angular dark smoky gray or blackish pores. The surface of the caps is tomentose to somewhat hairy, cream to butterscotch in color, and not distinctly zoned. It is rather frequent on decaying hardwood logs and woody materials, rarely on conifers.
Habitat: Woodland
Substrate: stumps, logs, and dead trees
Description: Bjerkandera adusta forms flat or shelf-like, often overlapping, tough fruitbodies with smoke gray tubes and small, angular dark smoky gray or blackish pores. The surface of the caps is tomentose to somewhat hairy, cream to butterscotch in color, and not distinctly zoned. It is rather frequent on decaying hardwood logs and woody materials, rarely on conifers.
Habitat: Woodland
Substrate: stumps, logs, and dead trees
Bjerkandera fumosa – big smoky bracket
Description: Bjerkandera fumosa can be most easily identified in how it differes from B. adusta. B. fumosa has thicker flesh and buff to pale smoky gray spores and a dark like above the base of the tubes (cut through fruitbody).
Substrate: decaying hardwood logs and woody materials
Description: Bjerkandera fumosa can be most easily identified in how it differes from B. adusta. B. fumosa has thicker flesh and buff to pale smoky gray spores and a dark like above the base of the tubes (cut through fruitbody).
Substrate: decaying hardwood logs and woody materials
Bolbitius aleuriatus – grey bolbitius
Substrate: rotting wood, sawdust, and humus
Spores: fall and winter
Substrate: rotting wood, sawdust, and humus
Spores: fall and winter
Bolbitius reticulatus – netted fieldcap
Description: Bolbitius reticulatus forms caps that are convex becoming flat to shallowly umbonate. The cap surface is smooth or with netlike veins, sticky when damp, striate, pale to dark gray-brown with purplish lilac tints. The gills are cream at first, becoming cinnamon to rusty brown with age. The stem is narrow, smooth, and white.
Habitat: Woodlands
Substrate: stumps, fallen branches, and woody fragments
Description: Bolbitius reticulatus forms caps that are convex becoming flat to shallowly umbonate. The cap surface is smooth or with netlike veins, sticky when damp, striate, pale to dark gray-brown with purplish lilac tints. The gills are cream at first, becoming cinnamon to rusty brown with age. The stem is narrow, smooth, and white.
Habitat: Woodlands
Substrate: stumps, fallen branches, and woody fragments
Bolbitius titubans – yellow fieldcap
Description: Bolbitius titubans has a smooth but sticky, bright yellow, cone-shaped cap when young. The cap is thin, with a striate margin, and as it expands rapidly loses its color from the margin inward, becoming watery white to pale buff. The fills are pale yellowish brown, and the stem is narrow, fragile, and pale yellow in color, fading to white with age.
Habitat: Pastures and gardens
Description: Bolbitius titubans has a smooth but sticky, bright yellow, cone-shaped cap when young. The cap is thin, with a striate margin, and as it expands rapidly loses its color from the margin inward, becoming watery white to pale buff. The fills are pale yellowish brown, and the stem is narrow, fragile, and pale yellow in color, fading to white with age.
Habitat: Pastures and gardens
Boletopsis grisea – gray falsebolete
Description: The commonest of the three boletopsises is Boletopsis grisea, which apparently occurs mostly with pine; it has a dull gray to blackish, often radially streaked, cap that sometimes is slightly scaly near the center.
Habitat: dry pine woodland
Substrate: Pine
Description: The commonest of the three boletopsises is Boletopsis grisea, which apparently occurs mostly with pine; it has a dull gray to blackish, often radially streaked, cap that sometimes is slightly scaly near the center.
Habitat: dry pine woodland
Substrate: Pine
Boletopsis leucomelaena – kurokawa, kurotake
Description: Our commonest one seems to be B. grisea, which apparently occurs mostly with pine; it has dull gray to blackish, often radially streaked, cap that sometimes is slightly scaly near the center. The similar B. leucomelaena occurs mainly with spruce. B. smithii is known from a single collection in Washington and is distinctive by the orange coloration of the cap and stipe.
Description: Our commonest one seems to be B. grisea, which apparently occurs mostly with pine; it has dull gray to blackish, often radially streaked, cap that sometimes is slightly scaly near the center. The similar B. leucomelaena occurs mainly with spruce. B. smithii is known from a single collection in Washington and is distinctive by the orange coloration of the cap and stipe.
Boletopsis smithii
Description: B. smithii is known from a single collection in Washington and is distinctive by the orange coloration of the cap and stipe.
Description: B. smithii is known from a single collection in Washington and is distinctive by the orange coloration of the cap and stipe.
Boletus barrowsii – white king bolete
Description: Boletus barrowsii is one of the “western edulis” species (see B. edulis). It is distinguished by its overall whitish to pale tan coloration, somewhat soft suede-like texture of the cap surface, strong odor when drying, and characteristic occurrence in the mountains of the southwestern U.S., most often under ponderosa pine. Generally considered to occur only in the Southwest, there have been sporadic reports of it occurring in places such as Idaho and southern California, under trees other than ponderosa pine. In Seattle, a very similar mushroom is fairly common in late spring under oaks and species of Tilia, such as lindens and basswood. Although it was felt that this had to be a different species, preliminary DNA analysis suggests it is very close to B. barrowsii.
Distribution: Southwest United States
Habitat: Under ponderosa pines
Spores: midsummer
Description: Boletus barrowsii is one of the “western edulis” species (see B. edulis). It is distinguished by its overall whitish to pale tan coloration, somewhat soft suede-like texture of the cap surface, strong odor when drying, and characteristic occurrence in the mountains of the southwestern U.S., most often under ponderosa pine. Generally considered to occur only in the Southwest, there have been sporadic reports of it occurring in places such as Idaho and southern California, under trees other than ponderosa pine. In Seattle, a very similar mushroom is fairly common in late spring under oaks and species of Tilia, such as lindens and basswood. Although it was felt that this had to be a different species, preliminary DNA analysis suggests it is very close to B. barrowsii.
Distribution: Southwest United States
Habitat: Under ponderosa pines
Spores: midsummer
Boletus calopus – bitter beech bolete, bitter bolete
Description: Boletus calopus has bitter-flesh that differs from B. coniferarum by its more noticeable reticulate stipe that is red in part.
Habitat: Conifer forests
Description: Boletus calopus has bitter-flesh that differs from B. coniferarum by its more noticeable reticulate stipe that is red in part.
Habitat: Conifer forests
Boletus eastwoodiae – Alice Eastwood's boletus
Boletus fibrillosus
Description: Boletus fibrillosus is a handsome bolete that often is mistaken for B. edulis. The cap color is some shade of dark brown, often with lighter areas, the cap surface is typically wrinkled and velvety to distinctly fibrillose, the tubes and pores are light yellow or somewhat darker, and the stipe is strongly reticulate, pale at the apex, dark brown below, and covered by white mycelium at the base. The overall aspect is that of a moderate to large cap on a relatively long stipe that often is pinched off at the base. It occurs locally, seldom as more than one or a few fruitbodies, but is widespread in our region in old-growth forests of fir and western hemlock as well as earlier succession forests of western hemlock and Douglas-fir and other mixed forest stands.
Distribution: Widespread in the PNW
Habitat: Occurs in old-growth forests of fir and western hemlock as well as earlier succession forests of western hemlock and Douglas-fir and other mixed forest stands.
Description: Boletus fibrillosus is a handsome bolete that often is mistaken for B. edulis. The cap color is some shade of dark brown, often with lighter areas, the cap surface is typically wrinkled and velvety to distinctly fibrillose, the tubes and pores are light yellow or somewhat darker, and the stipe is strongly reticulate, pale at the apex, dark brown below, and covered by white mycelium at the base. The overall aspect is that of a moderate to large cap on a relatively long stipe that often is pinched off at the base. It occurs locally, seldom as more than one or a few fruitbodies, but is widespread in our region in old-growth forests of fir and western hemlock as well as earlier succession forests of western hemlock and Douglas-fir and other mixed forest stands.
Distribution: Widespread in the PNW
Habitat: Occurs in old-growth forests of fir and western hemlock as well as earlier succession forests of western hemlock and Douglas-fir and other mixed forest stands.
Boletus rainisii
Description: Boletus rainisii is a medium-sized species with an olive-brown to yellow-brown, velvety cap, yellow tubes, and yellow stipe with some reddish tones near the base. It stains blue to olive-green or greenish black instantly when cut or handled, and has a mild taste. It occurs in coastal conifer forests but seems to be rare.
Description: Boletus rainisii is a medium-sized species with an olive-brown to yellow-brown, velvety cap, yellow tubes, and yellow stipe with some reddish tones near the base. It stains blue to olive-green or greenish black instantly when cut or handled, and has a mild taste. It occurs in coastal conifer forests but seems to be rare.
Boletus regineus – queen bolete
Description: Boletus regineus is the darkest species, with almost black caps at times, and often a whitish bloom over the surface when young. It is associated with oaks and madrone.
Substrate: Oaks and madrone
Description: Boletus regineus is the darkest species, with almost black caps at times, and often a whitish bloom over the surface when young. It is associated with oaks and madrone.
Substrate: Oaks and madrone
Boletus rex-veris – spring king bolete, spring king
Boletus rubellus – ruby bolete
Habitat: Grassy areas, mossy lawns, or along the edges of trails, always near trees such as oaks, cottonwood, willow, and basswood or linden.
Habitat: Grassy areas, mossy lawns, or along the edges of trails, always near trees such as oaks, cottonwood, willow, and basswood or linden.
Boletus rubripes – bitter bolete, red-stemmed bitter bolete
Distribution: Widespread but not particularly common in the PNW region.
Habitat: It was described from coastal conifer and mixed forests in California, but in the PNW, occurs in montane conifer forests.
Spores: summer and fall
Distribution: Widespread but not particularly common in the PNW region.
Habitat: It was described from coastal conifer and mixed forests in California, but in the PNW, occurs in montane conifer forests.
Spores: summer and fall
Boletus smithii – Smith's Boletus
Boletus subtomentosus – boring brown bolete, suede bolete, yellow-cracked bolete
Description: Boletus subtomentosus is a large olive-brown to yellow-brown or brown species. It bruises blueish or blueish green, although not always strongly.
Description: Boletus subtomentosus is a large olive-brown to yellow-brown or brown species. It bruises blueish or blueish green, although not always strongly.
Boletus truncatus
Description: Boletus truncatus is a common species in conifer forests and can only be separated from B. chrysenteron by looking at the spores, which are truncate on one end.
Habitat: Conifer forests
Description: Boletus truncatus is a common species in conifer forests and can only be separated from B. chrysenteron by looking at the spores, which are truncate on one end.
Habitat: Conifer forests
Boletus zelleri – Zeller's bolete
Distribution: Common in coastal and low elevation conifer forests.
Habitat: Occurs in urban areas, parks, along trails, and in other areas where conifers occur.
Distribution: Common in coastal and low elevation conifer forests.
Habitat: Occurs in urban areas, parks, along trails, and in other areas where conifers occur.
Bondarzewia occidentalis – Bondarzew's polypore, giant mountain polypore
Distribution: Western North America, on conifer roots.
Habitat: Terrestrial in coniferous forests, arising from conifer roots, sometimes at the base of stumps or trees.
Substrate: Terrestrial but on wood.
Distribution: Western North America, on conifer roots.
Habitat: Terrestrial in coniferous forests, arising from conifer roots, sometimes at the base of stumps or trees.
Substrate: Terrestrial but on wood.
Bovista pila – tumbling puffball
Description: Spore case globose to subglobose, 2– 7 cm across; at first with white, fuzzy surface, wearing off to expose inner skin that is papery thin, metallic bronzy purplish, smooth; an irregular apical pore or simple ragged tear eventually forms near the top, releasing the spore mass; sterile base absent; base attached to soil by a single cordlike extension. Spore mass/gleba at first white, then becoming deep purplish, powdery; odor and taste mild.
Habitat: open woods and shrublands
Substrate: soil and leaf debris
Spores: late summer to fall
Description: Spore case globose to subglobose, 2– 7 cm across; at first with white, fuzzy surface, wearing off to expose inner skin that is papery thin, metallic bronzy purplish, smooth; an irregular apical pore or simple ragged tear eventually forms near the top, releasing the spore mass; sterile base absent; base attached to soil by a single cordlike extension. Spore mass/gleba at first white, then becoming deep purplish, powdery; odor and taste mild.
Habitat: open woods and shrublands
Substrate: soil and leaf debris
Spores: late summer to fall
Bovista plumbea – grey puffball, lead-colored puffball, tumbling puffball, tumble-ball
Substrate: grass
Spores: fall and winter
Substrate: grass
Spores: fall and winter
Bridgeoporus nobilissimus – fuzzy sandozi
Distribution: B. nobilissimus is very rare, known only from forests of western Washington and Oregon, and is a protected species in both states.
Habitat: Occurs primarily on very old noble fir, at the base of living trees and snags or on top of stumps.
Distribution: B. nobilissimus is very rare, known only from forests of western Washington and Oregon, and is a protected species in both states.
Habitat: Occurs primarily on very old noble fir, at the base of living trees and snags or on top of stumps.
Brunneoporus malicola
Distribution: Northern Hemisphere.
Habitat: Temperate forests.
Substrate: Hardwoods.
Distribution: Northern Hemisphere.
Habitat: Temperate forests.
Substrate: Hardwoods.
Bryoglossum gracile
Habitat: alpine and artic environments
Substrate: moist moss on soil and rocks
Spores: Late summer and fall
Habitat: alpine and artic environments
Substrate: moist moss on soil and rocks
Spores: Late summer and fall
Bulgaria inquinans – black jelly drops, poor man's licorice
Substrate: dead hardwood logs, or branches, especially of oak.
Substrate: dead hardwood logs, or branches, especially of oak.
Byssomerulius corium
Description: Effuso-reflexed or resupinate, on hardwoods. Thin, leathery or papery. Cap when present is white or gray, or may be green from algae. Pore surface white, then cream, then light brown.
Distribution: Widespread in northern hemisphere.
Substrate: On branches and twigs of hardwoods.
Description: Effuso-reflexed or resupinate, on hardwoods. Thin, leathery or papery. Cap when present is white or gray, or may be green from algae. Pore surface white, then cream, then light brown.
Distribution: Widespread in northern hemisphere.
Substrate: On branches and twigs of hardwoods.
