Small Bolete & Odd Blue Bracket for ID Help Please

[Lancashire Lad]

Found these today: -

No.1
Small Boletes, growing among pine needle litter, in several small groups of two or three individuals.
Largest cap diameter about 45mm, stipe height similar.
All examples had distinctly decurrent pore surface.
Slight bluing at each side after cutting stipe, but the bluing didn't increase in area, or deepen in colour.
(Nearest thing I can find with decurrent pores in my books is Gyrodon lividus, but that apparently only grows below Alder).


No.2
A strange blue bracket type fungus. Only about 30mm across cap, and growing (almost certain) on the rotting stump of a Larch. The fruitbody had a leathery/rubbery feel - quite pliable. (Unfortunately the underside photo has turned out very blurry, but the general appearance of the pores can roughly be seen).


Any steer towards ID's on these would be much appreciated.

Regards,
Mike.

[NickCantle]

Well the bracket is unmistakably Postia caesia if it's on Larch. There's an identical form which grows on deciduous trees but that's subtly named Postia subcaesia.

The Bolete looks familiar, especially the habitat. I've just looked in my Gallery and this is the closest I could get;



Nick

EDIT; I don't think the Bolete is Suillus variegatus now- too many differences including cap texture and stipe appearance!

[Lancashire Lad]

Thanks Nick. I would definitely agree with Postia caesia. (Hadn't even looked in that section of the books ).

I agree that the bolete doesn't look like your Suillus variegatus.

It doesn't come across very well on the specimen I sectioned, but the pore surfaces were exceptionally decurrent on practically all of the fruitbodies found. The stipes were all bright sulphury yellow towards the top, and mostly reddish from about half way down, to the bases.

Regards,
Mike.

[flaxton]

Were there any Phaeolus schweinitzii in the vacinity? I might be Pulveroboletus lignicola?

Mal

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by flaxton

Were there any Phaeolus schweinitzii in the vacinity? I might be Pulveroboletus lignicola?

Mal

Mal, you are a genius. How on earth did you decipher that?
Yes there were several P. schweinitzii within 2 metres of where these boletes were found.

I've just looked on the online version of Roger's Mushrooms, (As none of my books mention Pulveroboletus lignicole## (Syn. Boletus lignicola), and the description, habitat, and association with P. schweinitzii fits to a tee. - perfect.

Thanks very much.

Regards,
Mike.

## EDIT - I've just found it in Phillips, under another synonym of Buchwaldoboletus lignicola, and though the description does fit, I would never have got this in a million years from the photo shown in the book.

[mollisia]

Hello,

was my idea too, especially because of the decurrent pores. As after some clicks on WAB the whole web site gets stuck (since last update or whatever they did ...), it's very slow for me to reply on threads. Also its quite boring when you have written long text and the site gets stuck on sending it ...

If you have the fruitbody still, lay a finger on the cap and rub it slightly. You should feel it moving it, as Pulveroboletus lignicola has a gelatinous underlayer of the cuticule, like e.g. Hohenbuehelia has or Crepidotus mollis.

best regards,
Andreas

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by flaxton

. . . I might be Pulveroboletus lignicola?

Mal

Mal

trust me - seek immediate medical help In my experience these delusions only get worse

LOL

C

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by mollisia

....If you have the fruitbody still, lay a finger on the cap and rub it slightly. You should feel it moving it, as Pulveroboletus lignicola has a gelatinous underlayer of the cuticule, like e.g. Hohenbuehelia has or Crepidotus mollis....

Hi Andreas, - Yes, I did notice this. The caps felt as though they had a thin layer of jelly moving over a fixed core.

I discovered today that this species is quite rare in Britain, and on the Red Data List. I hope I haven't committed a fungi sin by sectioning one of the fruitbodies.

Originally Posted by mollisia

....after some clicks on WAB the whole web site gets stuck (since last update or whatever they did ...), it's very slow for me to reply on threads. Also its quite boring when you have written long text and the site gets stuck on sending it....

I understand that WAB is undergoing sustained "Denial Of Service" attacks, and I too am among those who have had recent problems in uploading & repying to threads. So much so that I've begun to copy my replies before hitting the submit button. At least then I can paste the text again when the upload fails.

Regards,
Mike.

[flaxton]

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

I discovered today that this species is quite rare in Britain, and on the Red Data List. I hope I haven't committed a fungi sin by sectioning one of the fruitbodies.

Mike.

Mike

Don't be too upset at taking an odd fruitbody. If I ever find one I will certainly take a specimen. As long as you don't collect every one you find. There will be plenty of spores about. Make sure it is registered on one of the databases.

Mal

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

I discovered today that this species is quite rare in Britain, and on the Red Data List. I hope I haven't committed a fungi sin by sectioning one of the fruitbodies.
Regards,
Mike.

echoing Mal, don't worry - a voucher specimen is as valuable in the long term protection of rare fungi as silence / not picking

I would recommend taking a good range of photographs of any unfamiliar/interesting fungus in the field (then take as many more!)

cut it in half and note any colour changes, and if you are concerned about the fungus's well-being, do what I do - pop half into the fork of some nearby twigs,well above the ground so that the spores have an even better chance of dispersal (bearing in mind that by the time you have found it tens if not hundreds of thousands of spores have already been liberated) . . . the other half can then be dried and kept as a voucher (to go to Kew or a local/regional museum)

cheers

Chris