Is this the "very rare" pale BB Bolete?

[Steve Wurzel]

Hi WAB'ers,

I found these two Leccinum in mixed woods nr Bristol, in an area with Birch, Beech and other trees. Growing within 6ft of each other, so I guessed they were possibly of the same species.

I've come to my own preliminary ID of Brown Birch Bolete - Leccinum Scabrum and Roger Phillips has photos and describes "a more robust, pale form, which was formerly called L. avellaneum. It is very rare and has now been included under L. scabrum."

Could this be the "very rare" pale version of the Brown Birch Bolete?


Pale version..



Brown version..



Apologies for the slug damaged samples.

[flaxton]

The most "common" pale Leccinum is L holopus.

Mal

[Steve Wurzel]

Thanks Mal, I had it in my head the two were probably the same type of fungi so I concentrated on the brown funghi for an ID.

I wouldn't say the smell was unpleasant, but it's not enticing, dried sweat perhaps!!

The spore print of both the brown and the pale fungi was "walnut brown" rather than "cinnamon-ochraceous-buff"

I'll attach the spore print from the pale mushroom, which isn't fantastic, as it just the result of leaving the mushrooms to dry on the paper. Any red in the photo will probably be the flash on my fingers trying to hold a tissue in place.. this needs to be done in daylight.



There is no sign of bruising on either sample at all as far as I can see.