Bolete-type fungus with unusual stem - Any ideas?

[Rutters]

Found this on 05/09/2010 growing in mixed woodland (mostly beech). It has pores on the underside of the cap (diameter about 4cm) like a bolete. The stem (about 5cm long) had an unusual shiny brown appearance cracked into bands. The stem was also surprisingly hard/tough - more like the root of a plant than the stem of a fungus. Any suggestions

[cowshill]

Do you have a photo?

[Rutters]

First time posting - forgot to add the photos!

[Stip]

A Zebra-bolete
or a dried up spec. whilst growing
Stip

[Andy Overall]

Originally Posted by Rutters

First time posting - forgot to add the photos!

This looks to me like a mature to ageing, Gyroporus castaneus. This species often splits in bands around the stem just like in your pic. The colour of the stem is also correct, reddish brown.

Andy

[NickCantle]

That's a cracking suggestion Andy (no pun intended you lot ) and a Google image search for Gyroporus castaneus shows an image displaying a specimen almost identical to this. I know Google isn't that reliable when referring to images, but it's sometimes helpful.

[Rutters]

Thanks for the suggestion. "Rogers Mushrooms" says about Gyroporus castaneus that the 'pores are free and deeply sunken around the stem' which fits well with the photo of the bottom of the cap.