Image of Boletus radicans

Description:

Slo.: grenki goban - syn. Boletus albidus - Habitat: mixed mountain wood, dominant trees Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies; moderately steep mountain slope, south aspect; calcareous ground; in shade; partly protected from direct rain by tree canopies; average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 3-5 deg C, elevation 1.260 m (4.150 feet), alpine phytogeographical region. Substratum: forest soil. Comments: Texture and color of the upper surface of the hut, rooting stipe, turning blue on bruising and, in particular, very strong bitter taste are typical traits of Boletus radicans. What surprises in this find is reddish coloration of damaged places (by snails) and quite distinctive reddish tones of the stipe. This is unusual with Boletus radicans and causes some doubts in our determination. However, no better alternatives have been found. Growing solitary; pileus diameter 8.5 cm; taste strongly bitter, smell faint, unpleasant; quickly bruising blue-green when handled; SP faint, color indistinguishable. Spores smooth. Dimensions: 12.4 [13.7 ; 14.2] 15.5 x 5 [5.5 ; 5.8] 6.3 microns Q = 2.2 [2.4 ; 2.5] 2.8; N = 34; C = 95%; Me = 14 x 5.6 microns; Qe = 2,5. Olympus CH20, NEA 100x/1.25, magnification 1.000 x, oil; in water. AmScope MA500 digital camera. Herbarium: Mycotheca and lichen herbarium (LJU-Li) of Slovenian Forestry Institute, Vena pot 2, Ljubljana, Index Herbariorum LJF Ref.: (1) Personal communication with Mr. Bojan Rot and (conf.) Mr. Anton Poler. (2) G. Kibby, British Boletes, Copyright Geoffrey Kibby (2011), p 20. (3) R.M. Daehncke, 1200 Pilze in Farbfotos, AT Verlag (2009), p 72. (4) M. Bon, Parey's Buch der Pilze, Kosmos (2005), p 36. (5) S. Buczacki, Collins Fungi Guide, Collins (2012), p 406.