Boletaceae
10 genera
39 species
39 species
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Index to genera:
Aureoboletus, Boletellus, Boletus, Chalciporus, Chamonixia, Gastroboletus, Leccinum, Phylloporus, Porphyrellus, XerocomellusBoletus 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.
Chalciporus piperatoides
Description: Chalciporus piperatoides is similar in appearance, but the tubes stain bluish and the spore-print is olive rather than brown.
Description: Chalciporus piperatoides is similar in appearance, but the tubes stain bluish and the spore-print is olive rather than brown.
Chalciporus piperatus – pepper bolete, peppery bolete
Description: Also known as Boletus piperatus, Chalciporus piperatus is unique among PNW boletes in its overall coloration, small to medium size, and rather slender stipe. The cap is viscid when fresh but may become somewhat fibrillose and cracked in older specimens, reddish brown to rust brown or vinaceous brown, often with a mix of yellowish brown, and sometimes becoming more ochraceous brown in age. The tubes are yellowish to reddish yellow and the pores are angular, red to reddish brown, and darken when bruised. The stipe is rather slender and reddish brown or colored like the cap, except for the base which is covered with bright yellow mycelium. The flesh of the cap is yellowish buff or somewhat vinaceous to pinkish, and in the stipe brownish buff above and bright yellow in the base. The name “piperatus” comes from its peppery taste.
Distribution: It is widespread and can be rather common in some years, but usually is not abundant.
Habitat: woodland
Description: Also known as Boletus piperatus, Chalciporus piperatus is unique among PNW boletes in its overall coloration, small to medium size, and rather slender stipe. The cap is viscid when fresh but may become somewhat fibrillose and cracked in older specimens, reddish brown to rust brown or vinaceous brown, often with a mix of yellowish brown, and sometimes becoming more ochraceous brown in age. The tubes are yellowish to reddish yellow and the pores are angular, red to reddish brown, and darken when bruised. The stipe is rather slender and reddish brown or colored like the cap, except for the base which is covered with bright yellow mycelium. The flesh of the cap is yellowish buff or somewhat vinaceous to pinkish, and in the stipe brownish buff above and bright yellow in the base. The name “piperatus” comes from its peppery taste.
Distribution: It is widespread and can be rather common in some years, but usually is not abundant.
Habitat: woodland
Gastroboletus turbinatus – bogus bolete, gastroid bolete
Description: The genus Gastroboletus is used for secotioid fungi that are similar to species of Boletus. Usually a cap is present and typically it is rounded or flattened with the margin turned down. However, in G. ruber (Zeller) Cázares & Trappe (= Truncocolumella rubra Zeller), the cap is so reduced that it looks like a false truffle without a complete peridium. In most Gastroboletus species the tubes are elongated, curved or contorted, and often olive to brown. The stipe is usually short and stout or sometimes forms a columella. G. turbinatus is our most common species, occurring from spring through fall. At first glance, the fruitbody looks like a bolete, such as Boletus chrysenteron---the cap is velvety and brown with yellowish and reddish areas, the stipe is rather short, pointed below, yellowish with small reddish scales and granules, and the pores are rather large, reddish and stain blue. The tubes are long, curved, yellow to greenish yellow and clearly indicate its secotioid nature. The flesh is yellowish, with some red just below the cap cuticle, and the whole interior stains blue after cutting.
Distribution: Broad
Description: The genus Gastroboletus is used for secotioid fungi that are similar to species of Boletus. Usually a cap is present and typically it is rounded or flattened with the margin turned down. However, in G. ruber (Zeller) Cázares & Trappe (= Truncocolumella rubra Zeller), the cap is so reduced that it looks like a false truffle without a complete peridium. In most Gastroboletus species the tubes are elongated, curved or contorted, and often olive to brown. The stipe is usually short and stout or sometimes forms a columella. G. turbinatus is our most common species, occurring from spring through fall. At first glance, the fruitbody looks like a bolete, such as Boletus chrysenteron---the cap is velvety and brown with yellowish and reddish areas, the stipe is rather short, pointed below, yellowish with small reddish scales and granules, and the pores are rather large, reddish and stain blue. The tubes are long, curved, yellow to greenish yellow and clearly indicate its secotioid nature. The flesh is yellowish, with some red just below the cap cuticle, and the whole interior stains blue after cutting.
Distribution: Broad
Leccinum insigne – aspen bolete, aspen rough-stem, aspen scaber-stalk
Habitat: Associated with aspen
Habitat: Associated with aspen
Leccinum manzanitae – madrone bolete, manzanita bolete, manzanita mushroom
Habitat: Associated with Arbutus and Arctostaphylos.
Substrate: Soil.
Habitat: Associated with Arbutus and Arctostaphylos.
Substrate: Soil.
Leccinum scabrum – brown birch-bolete, birch bolete, common scaber-stalk, birch scaberstalk
Habitat: Common in urban and suburban settings and less so in natural habitats. Occurs with birch.
Habitat: Common in urban and suburban settings and less so in natural habitats. Occurs with birch.
Phylloporus rhodoxanthus – gilled bolete
Porphyrellus porphyrosporus – dark bolete, dusky bolete
Distribution: Widespread but not abundant.
Habitat: P. porphyrosporus occurs in coastal and low elevation conifer forests.
Distribution: Widespread but not abundant.
Habitat: P. porphyrosporus occurs in coastal and low elevation conifer forests.
Xerocomellus chrysenteron – cracked-cap bolete, red-cracked bolete, red-cracking bolete, yellow-fleshed Boletus
Distribution: Northern hemisphere.
Habitat: Temperate mixed hardwood/coniferous forests.
Substrate: Soil.
Distribution: Northern hemisphere.
Habitat: Temperate mixed hardwood/coniferous forests.
Substrate: Soil.
Xerocomellus rainisiae
Distribution: Primarily west of the Cascade Crest, but some extension east of the crest. Coniferous forests from sea level to higher elevations. Maritime Pacific Northwest, from Vancouver Island to Oregon. May also extend to eastern slopes of the Cascades.
Habitat: Mixed coniferous forests.
Substrate: Soil.
Distribution: Primarily west of the Cascade Crest, but some extension east of the crest. Coniferous forests from sea level to higher elevations. Maritime Pacific Northwest, from Vancouver Island to Oregon. May also extend to eastern slopes of the Cascades.
Habitat: Mixed coniferous forests.
Substrate: Soil.
