Bolete?

[GerryNick2]

Came across this clump of small (as opposed to group) boletes in the New Forest yesterday. They were growing on the edge of a clearing with Birch. They looked a bit unusual to me and I was surprised to find pores and not gills when I turned a couple over.
There was no colour change on bruising or cutting. The pores were what I would call buff or tan as opposed to lemon-yellow or yellow. Flesh was cream.
The cap diameters were up to 6cm and the stem ht.6cm dia.1cm.
Would welcome suggestions on possible ID.

Gerry

[Deer Stalker]

What about peppery Boletus? Did you taste it? I not it might be a Suillus.

[GerryNick2]

Hi Deer Stalker

You could well be right. Have been pondering over this one for hours and funny enough the closest I could get was Chalciporus piperatus - Peppery Bolete, an odd one this, was a Bolete, then Sullius and now Chalciporus. If the experts cannot make their minds up what chance has a mere mortal like me got of identification.
Unfortunately tasting it was about the only test I never tried.
Be helpful to get further input.

Gerry

[FungiJohn]

Yes, a difficult one. The pores on Chalciporus piperatus tend to go quite dark red with age. Did you see any older specimens to compare.

John

[GerryNick2]

Hi John

Unfortunately this was the only group in a very large area all of which were fairly young and fresh. From the little information available it seems the pores change to a deep rust colour in maturity, as you rightly suggest.
Looks like it is going to be another maybe! Will have to keep my eyes open for it next season.

Gerry

[Bish]

Yes I would go along with Peppery Bolete.

I nibbled one once to get ID confiramtion. It like putting a drop of Tabasco on your tongue.

[Angelo_Xanthi]

Hi

I'm sure it's not Chalciporus piperatus. CP has yellow mycelium at the stipe base, coppery-reddish pores and most often a rather hemispherical cap. This one should be Suillus bovinus on account of the whitish edge of the cap and the triangular/irregular pores. I'd be sure if there were any pines nearby.

[GerryNick2]

Hi Angelo

Suillus bovinus is a strong possibility and the description matchs well. Tended to rule out S.bovinus due to dry cap and lack of conifers. The area it was found in has been cleared in the past and consists now mainly of Birch with just the odd spruce hear and there, could well have been conifers there originally.
However, following a bit of research I find that there have been numerous sightings of S.bovinus in deciduous woodland recently, so anything is possible.

Gerry

[Angelo_Xanthi]

Hi Gerry

You may have noticed, too, that birch seems to be the only B-L tree that hosts quite a few mushrooms that otherwise grow only with conifers. In view of that, it is perhaps not too strange that one could find S. bovinus with birches, too. As for the cap of S. bovinus, that, in my experience, is never very viscid and certainly not so in dry weather.