365 Urban Species. #249: Boletus bicolor

[urbpan]

Photo by cottonmanifesto. Age has made the strange, concave appearance of this individual mushroom: as a mushroom gets older, the edges curl upward, so that the spores closest to the stalk have more room to be released. Location: Olmsted Park, Brookline.

Urban species #249: Boletus bicolor

Like Russula emetica (the sickener), Boletus bicolor is probably a complex of several related species that look very much alike. Unlike R. emetica, B bicolor will not make you throw up when you eat it. In fact, this mushroom is one that is sought after by many foragers. An over-enthusiastic wild mushroom eater might mistake B. satanas or another poisonous species for B. bicolor, so caution is advised. In any case, this mushroom can be enjoyed simply for its attractive appearance. The distinctive contrasting colors of this mushroom demand attention, and are the reason for its scientific name (which is sometimes translated into a "common" name, bicolored bolete). The fungus that produces this mushroom, like most bolete fungi, are mycorrhizzal (an explanation of this term is found at the entry for amethyst deceiver). These mushrooms are usually found growing near mature oak trees, the tree and the fungus sharing nutrients in the soil.


The red cap of the mushroom is visible, here, from above. When younger, this mushroom would have had the familiar umbrella shape. Pores on the underside of bolete mushrooms release the spores, enabling the fungus to reproduce.

Comments

SO WEIRD

[lynsage.livejournal.com]

I just found one of these in my yard yesterday and was wondering what it was!

[aplomada.livejournal.com]

A general question and a specific question:

First, what sources do you use for your species information?

Second, what source did you use for Boletus bicolor?

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

I use a variety of field guides and online sources.

For mushrooms I use the Simon and Schuster field guide, Arora's Demystifying mushrooms, the Audubon guide, the Peterson's guide, and the Northeastern Guide. I also often visit Tom Volk's site.

(I'm nervous about where this is headed...)
why do you ask?

[aplomada.livejournal.com]

Don't be nervous; I ask because I am always on the lookout for new sources to use when indulging in my obsession (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WP:EDIT). Thank you!