22. Taste acrid or peppery B. piperatus

_Peck_, Boleti of the U.S., p. 83. (Plate CXV.) [Illustration: BOLETUS SPECTABILIS. Natural size. ] =B. specta´bilis= Pk.—_spectabilis_, distinguished. =Pileus= broadly convex, _at first covered with a red tomentum, then scaly_, viscid when moist, _red_, the tomentose scales becoming grayish-red, brownish or yellowish. =Flesh= whitish or pale-yellow. =Tubes= at first yellow and concealed by a reddish glutinous membrane, then ochraceous, convex, _large, angular, adnate_. =Stem= nearly equal, annulate, yellow above the annulus, red or red with yellow stains below. =Spores= _purplish-brown_, 13–15×6–7µ. =Pileus= 2–5 in. broad. =Stem= 3–5 in. long, 4–6 lines thick. Thin woods in swamps. New York, _Peck_; Wisconsin, _Bundy_. This is a rare and showy species which inhabits the cold northern swamps of the country. It probably extends into Canada. When cut, the flesh emits a strong, unpleasant odor. Wounds of the flesh made by insects or other small animals have a bright-yellow color. When young, the tomentose veil covers the whole plant, but it soon parts into scales on the pileus and partly or wholly disappears from the stem. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. London, Can., _J. Dearness_; _Peck_, Rep. 44, N.Y. State Bot. =B. Elben´sis= Pk. =Pileus= convex, glabrous, viscid when moist, dingy gray or pinkish-gray inclining to brownish, obscurely spotted or streaked as if with patches of innate fibrils. =Flesh= white. =Tubes= at first whitish, becoming dingy or brownish-ochraceous, nearly plane, adnate or slightly decurrent, rather large, angular. =Stem= nearly equal, annulate, _whitish above the ring_, colored like the pileus below, sometimes slightly reticulated at the top. =Spores= _ferruginous_-brown, 10–12×4–5µ. =Pileus= 2–4 in. broad. =Stem= 3–5 in. long, 4–6 lines thick. Thin woods of tamarack, spruce and balsam. New York. _Peck._ Its locality is thus far limited to the Adirondack region of this state. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. =B. sero´tinus= Frost.—late. Bulletin Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci., 1874. =Pileus= flat or convex, viscid, sordid brown, streaked with the remnants of the veil, especially near the margin, which is white, very thin, and when partly grown singularly pendent. =Flesh= white, _changing to bluish_. =Tubes= large, angular, unequal, slightly decurrent, at first sordid white or gray, sometimes tinged with green near the stem, afterward cinnamon-yellow. =Stem= reticulated above the ring which adheres partly to it and partly to the margin of the pileus, white but stained by the brownish spores and tinged with yellow at maturity. =Spores= 10×6µ. Shaded grassy ground. New England, _Frost_. Probably this is only a variety of the preceding species. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. =B. salmoni´color= Frost. Bull. Buff. Soc. Nat. Sci., 1874. =Pileus= convex, soft, very glutinous, brownish or tawny-white with a faint tinge of red, wine-color when dry, the margin thin. =Flesh= _tinged with red_. =Tubes= simple, even, angular, adnate, _pale salmon_ color. =Stem= small, dotted above with bright ferruginous red, sordid below, annulus _dingy salmon-color_. =Spores= 8×2.5µ. Borders of pine woods. New England. _Frost._ Apparently a distinct species. No specimens seen. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. =B. el´egans= Schum. =Pileus= convex or plane, viscose, _golden-yellow or somewhat rust-color_. =Flesh= pale-yellow. =Tubes= decurrent, golden or sulphur-yellow, the mouths minute, simple. =Stem= unequal, firm, golden or reddish, _dotted above the fugacious white or pale-yellowish annulus_. =Pileus= 3–4.5 in. broad. =Stem= 2–4 in. long. Woods, especially under or near larch trees. North Carolina, _Curtis_; Wisconsin, _Bundy_; Minnesota, _Johnson_. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. Cordier and Gillet give the species as edible though not delicate. West Philadelphia on lawns under larches, 1887–1891. _McIlvaine._ The caps are of good flavor and consistency. They are best fried or broiled. =B. Clin´tonianus= Pk. =Pileus= convex, very viscid or glutinous, glabrous, soft, shining, _golden-yellow, reddish yellow or chestnut color_, the margin thin. =Flesh= pale yellow, becoming less bright or dingy on exposure to the air. =Tubes= nearly plane, adnate or subdecurrent, _small_, angular or subrotund, pale-yellow, becoming dingy-ochraceous with age, _changing to brown or purplish-brown where bruised_. =Stem= equal or slightly thickened toward the base, straight or flexuous, _yellow at the top_, reddish or reddish-brown below the annulus, sometimes varied with yellow stains, the annulus white or yellow, _persistent_, forming a thick band about the stem. =Spores= _brownish-ochraceous_, 10–11×4–5µ. =Pileus= 2–5 in. broad. =Stem= 2–5 in. long, 4–9 lines thick. Mossy or grassy ground in woods or open places, especially under or near tamarack trees. New York, _Peck_; New England, _Frost_. This is apparently closely related to B. elegans, from which it differs in its thick persistent ring, in its stem which is not at all dotted and in its longer and darker-colored spores. Its smaller tubes and persistent ring separate it also from B. flavus. In the typical form the pileus is bay-red or chestnut color, but plants growing in open places generally have it yellowish or reddish-yellow. It is mild to the taste and I have eaten it sparingly. It sometimes grows in tufts. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. =B. inflex´us= Pk.—curving. =Pileus= convex, glabrous, viscid, yellow, often red or reddish on the disk, the margin thin, inflexed, concealing the marginal tubes. =Flesh= whitish, not changing color where wounded. =Tubes= rather long, adnate, yellowish, becoming dingy-yellow with age, the mouths small, dotted with reddish glandules. =Stem= rather slender, not ringed, solid, viscid, dotted with livid-yellow glandules. =Spores= yellowish, 10–12×4–5µ. =Pileus= about 1 in. broad. =Stem= about 2 in. long, 2–4 lines thick. Open woods. Trexlertown. September. _Herbst._ This Boletus belongs to the tribe Viscipelles. It is remarkable for and easily recognized by the inflexed margin of the pileus, which imitates to some extent the appendiculate veil of Boletus versipellis. It sometimes grows in tufts. The paper in which fresh specimens were wrapped was stained yellow. Boletus Braunii Bres. has an inflexed margin, but that is a much larger plant with a yellowish-brown pileus, a fibrillose stem and much smaller spores. _Peck_, Bull. Torr. Bot. Club, Vol. 22, No. 5. =B. fla´vus= With. =Pileus= convex, compact, covered with a brownish separating gluten, _pale-yellow_. =Flesh= pale-yellow. =Tubes= large, angular, adnate, yellow. =Stem= yellow, becoming brownish, reticulated above the _membranous fugacious_ dirty yellowish annulus. =Spores= 8–10×3–4µ. =Pileus= 2–5 in. broad. =Stem= 2–3 in. long, 6–10 lines thick. Woods. Minnesota, _Johnson_; Wisconsin, _Bundy_. This is apparently a rare species in this country. I have not seen it. It is said to resemble B. luteus, from which it is separated by the large angular mouths of the tubes. In British Fungi the spores are described as “spindle-shaped, yellowish-brown;” in Sylloge, as “ovoid-oblong, acute at the base, granulose, pale ochraceous.” _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. =B. fistulo´sus= Pk. =Pileus= convex, viscid, glabrous, yellow, the margin at first incurved or involute. =Flesh= yellow. =Tubes= plane or subventricose, medium size, round with thin walls, adnate or sometimes depressed around the stem, yellow. =Stem= rather slender, subequal, viscid, glabrous, hollow, yellow, with a white mycelioid tomentum at the base. =Spores= elliptical, 13×6µ. =Pileus= about 1 in. broad. =Stem= 2–4 in. long, about 3 lines thick. Grassy woods. Auburn, Ala. July. _Underwood._ A small but pretty species of a yellow color throughout. It is remarkable for its hollow stem, which is suggestive of the specific name. It is referable to the tribe Viscipelles. _Peck_, Bull. Torrey Bot. Club, Vol. 24, No. 3. =B. sphæros´porus= Pk.—globose-spored. (Bulletin Torrey Botanical Club, Vol. XII.) =Pileus= at first hemispherical, then convex, glabrous, viscid, creamy-yellow, becoming reddish-brown or chestnut color with age. =Flesh= pale yellowish-brown. =Tubes= adnate or slightly decurrent, large, angular, pale-yellow, becoming brown, sometimes tinged with green. =Stem= stout, equal, even or slightly reticulated at the top, the _membranous annulus persistent_, sometimes partly adhering to the margin of the pileus. =Spores= _globose or broadly elliptical_, 8–9µ long. =Pileus= 3–8 in. broad. =Stem= 1–3 in. long, 6–12 lines thick. Low ravines and sandy places. Wisconsin, _Trelease_; Iowa, _McBride_. The spores easily serve to distinguish this species from its allies. The European B. sphærocephalus has ovoid spores, but its tube mouths are minute and rotund and its stem is densely squamose. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. =B. lu´teus= L.—yellow. =Pileus= gibbous or convex, covered with a brownish separating gluten, becoming yellowish-brown and virgate-spotted. =Flesh= white. =Tubes= adnate, minute, simple, yellow, becoming darker with age. =Stem= _stout_, yellowish and _dotted above_ the large membranous brownish-white annulus, brownish-white or yellowish below. =Spores= fusiform, yellowish-brown, 6–7×3–4µ. =Pileus= 2–5 in. broad. =Stem= 1–2 in. long, 6–10 lines thick. Pine woods and groves. New York, _Peck_. B. luteus has an international reputation for edibility. I have found it at Waretown and Haddonfield, N.J.; in Bartram’s Garden, West Philadelphia, always under pines. At Waretown it was gregarious. Pine needles, sand, anything through which it grows, adheres to the glutinous cap. It must be carefully cleaned before cooking. It is then of choice consistency and good flavor. (Plate CXV_a_.) [Illustration: SECTION OF BOLETUS SUBLUTEUS.] =B. sublu´teus= Pk.—luteus, yellow. =Pileus= convex or nearly plane, viscid or glutinous when moist, often obscurely virgate-spotted, dingy-yellowish, inclining to rusty-brown. =Flesh= whitish, varying to dull-yellowish. =Tubes= plane or convex, adnate, small, subrotund, yellow becoming ochraceous. =Stem= equal, _slender_, pallid or yellowish, _dotted both above and below_ the ring with reddish or brownish glandules; ring submembranous, _glutinous_, at first concealing the tubes, then generally collapsing and forming a narrow whitish or brownish band around the stem. =Spores= subfusiform, ochraceo-ferruginous, 8–10×4–5µ. =Pileus= 1.5–3 in. broad. =Stem= 1.5–2.5 in. long, 2–4 lines thick. Sandy soil in pine woods. New York, _Peck_, _Clinton_; New England, _Frost_. The species is closely related to B. luteus, from which it differs in its smaller size, more slender stem and glutinous collapsing veil. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. Found at Waretown, N.J., 1887, under pines and in same locality as B. luteus, for which it can be readily mistaken. It is usually covered with adherent sand or pine needles. Its flesh is tender with a pleasant glutinosity. Flavor good. =B. fla´vidus= Fr.—light yellowish. =Pileus= thin, gibbous, then plane, viscose, livid, yellowish. =Flesh= pallid. =Tubes= decurrent, with _large angular compound mouths_, dirty yellowish. =Stem= _slender_, subequal, pallid, sprinkled with _fugacious glandules above the entirely viscose ring_. =Spores= oblong-ellipsoid, straight, subhyaline, 8–10×3–4µ. =Pileus= 1–2 in. broad. =Stem= 2–3 in. long, 2–3 lines thick. Pine woods and swamps. Pennsylvania, _Schweinitz_; North Carolina, _Curtis_; New England, _Frost_; California, _H. and M._; Rhode Island, _Bennett_. Fries says that this species is more slender than its allies, and differs from them all in its merely glutinous veil. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. Dr. Curtis, of North Carolina, places it among edible species. Many specimens were found by the writer near Waretown and Haddonfield, N.J., and a few at Mt. Gretna, Pa. The stems are thin and slightly spreading at the top. They are hard. The caps are excellent. =B. America´nus= Pk. =Pileus= thin, convex or nearly plane, sometimes umbonate, soft, very viscid or glutinous when moist, _slightly tomentose on the margin when young_, soon glabrous or the margin sometimes remaining scaly, rarely scale-spotted from the drying of the gluten, yellow, becoming dingy or less bright with age, sometimes vaguely dotted or streaked with bright red. =Flesh= pale-yellow, less clear or pinkish-gray on exposure to the air. =Tubes= plane or convex, adnate, _rather large_, angular, pale-yellow, becoming sordid-ochraceous. =Stem= _slender_, equal or slightly tapering upward, firm, _not at all annulate_, yellow, often pallid or brownish toward the base, marked with _numerous brown or reddish-brown persistent glandular dots_, yellow within. =Spores= oblong or subfusiform, ochraceo-ferruginous, 9–11×4–5µ. =Pileus= 1–3 in. broad. =Stem= 1.5–2.5 in. long, 2–4 lines thick. Woods, swamps and open places, especially under or near pine trees. New York, _Peck_, _Clinton_; Minnesota, _Arthur_. A slight subacid odor is sometimes perceptible in our plant. It sometimes grows on much decayed wood. Its mycelium is white. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. The caps, only, are good. =B. subau´reus= Pk.—_sub_ and _aureus_, golden. (Plate CXIV, fig. 2, p. 414.) =Pileus= convex or nearly plane, viscose, pale-yellow, sometimes adorned with darker spots, the young margin slightly grayish-tomentose. =Flesh= pale-yellow. =Tubes= _small or medium_; somewhat angular, adnate or subdecurrent, pale-yellow becoming dingy-ochraceous. =Stem= equal, _stout_, glandular-dotted, yellow _without and within_. =Spores= oblong or subfusiform, ochraceo-ferruginous, 8–10×4µ. =Pileus= 2–4 in. broad. =Stem= 1.5–2.5 in. long, 4–6 lines thick. Thin woods and open places. New York, _Peck_; North Carolina, _C.J. Curtis_; Massachusetts, Mississippi, _G. Survey_ (Rep. 51). This plant might almost be considered a stout variety of the preceding, but in addition to its thicker pileus and stouter stem, it has smaller tubes of a clearer yellow color, and the exuding drops are yellow, not whitish, as in that species. In habit it appears more like B. granulatus, from which it is distinct in color. _Peck_, Boleti of the U.S. From early October, through heavy frosts and until long after November snows I found this species at Mt. Gretna, Pa., in 1897–1898. Specimens were sent to Professor Peck and identified as this species. It grew in grass on borders of woods, or gravelly ground, sometimes among pine needles. Large troops of it were frequent, and tufts containing many individuals were common. I regard B. subaureus as among the most valuable of our food species. Its plentifulness, lateness, excellent quality will commend it to all Mycophagists. It can be cooked in any way. The tubes need not be removed. [Illustration: Grouped by F.D. Briscoe—Studies by C. McIlvaine. PLATE CXIV.] FIG. PAGE. FIG. PAGE.