Leccinum duriusculum / Slate Bolete ? Help please

[JAJ]

Hi all

Please can anyone help me identifying these Bolete .

Are they Leccinum duriusculum / Slate Bolete ???

They have been in fruit since early July , located on bents grass under an old Birch tree.

The stipes have been host to small maggots whereby the stipe flesh has blue or green lines in many specimens. A few of the younger specimens are free of pests in the stipes.

The caps are normally clean of pests in all specimens and discolour to pink when sliced, darkening to grey/black when dried.

Many thanks in advance

Note I will upload photos a.s.a.p

[JAJ]

The images are pending approval

[fairplay]

Sounds like this is more likely to be L.varicolour.

But we shall have to wait until we see the photos. Do cut one completely in half, noting how quickly the flesh colour in the stem changes and what colour.

It is advised that you bruise the freshly cut flesh with your thumb or running a knife blade along it. Note also any change of flesh colour in the cap. Allow half an hour.

Do let us know if the ground was damp and if any other trees, apart from Birch, were nearby.

Welcome to the WAB fungi forum by the way.

Neil.

[mollisia]

Hello,

the description of the discolouring of the flesh
"discolour to pink when sliced, darkening to grey/black when dried"
in combination with a brown cap only leaves us Leccinum duriusculum.
The only other brown capped Leccinum which discoloures blackish, is Leccinum carpini, but that wouldn't be pinkish first but directly becoming blackish.

best regards,
Andreas

[SheffieldLass]

L duriusculum is associated with Poplar, and isn't common. As yours is under birch it will most likely be one of the more common ones associated with birch. I'll wait for your photos before suggesting which one, though.

You might find this website useful:

about machiel noordeloos

Melanie

[JAJ]

Thanks for the feedback / info all.

SheffieldLass from that link i think they could be immature Leccinum duriusculum from the description. thanks

More info.

These fruit were located on amenity grassland at the base of an old Birch tree within an ancient hedgerow of Blackthorn (sloe) and Bullace (wild plum). The ground is rarely damp due to the line of mature trees there.

Some younger fruits are fawn in the cap, rather than grey in the open specimen photographed below. I will upload more photos.

Half an hour after slicing the base of the stipes have turned blue/green on the outer edges. The caps are fading pinkish starting to grey.

Photo 1 :



Thanks all

Edit: I have added some more photos of specimens with fawn caps. from same spore site

[JAJ]

More Photos





These fruit flowered earlier in July , much early than other Bolete species in the area which flowered in August / September last season. This and the discolouration when brushed leads me to think they are Slate Bolete.

However I'd really love an expert opinion since this variety is listed as rare / uncommon.

Many thanks in advance

[JAJ]

To add:

One of the problems with identification, is that mature specimens are mowed over as part of the weekly amenity maintenance. This only leaves a short window (over the weekend) to observe specimens, many of which are still juvenile in growth.

Initially we recorded these fungi as Birch Bolete, then Cep. However after studying habitat, the flower time, and the stipe in more detail , and cross referencing books, we still think they are Slate Bolete / Leccinum duriusculum or a sub-species.

The green/blue discolouration in the base of the stipe is related to oxidization, further promoted by the presence of burrow insects in these specimen. All of which helps identification.

As an amateur naturalist , the wisdom of forums (members) such as this are invaluable to my studies! Big Thanks!

[JAJ]

Thanks mollisia for conformation.

Thanks for the welcome fairplay

Please add comment all

[JAJ]

can anyone help please? photos now uploaded