Boletus rubellus
Encyclopedia
Boletus rubellus, commonly known as the Ruby Bolete, is a small, dainty, brightly coloured member of the Boletus
genus, with a reddish cap and stipe, and yellow pores. Like many boletes, it stains blue when cut or bruised. It is found in deciduous
woodland in autumn. There is some question over its edibility, and it is reportedly of poor quality with a taste of soap.
in the past, and is still regarded as such in some texts. The previously commonly used binomial name Boletus versicolor (Rostk.), published in 1844, is now reduced to synonymy as it postdates the current name by German mycologist Julius Vincenz von Krombholz
which dates from 1836. Its present specific epithet is Latin
for "somewhat red".
that is scarlet to raspberry red when young, with a dry velvety texture. The extreme margin often has a pale yellow or white band around it, (as in the photograph on the right) and it discolours darker, and dirtier with age. It is a small bolete
, with the cap being rarely over 6 centimetres (2.4 in) in diameter. The pores are small; pale yellow, and bruise slowly. Sometimes tapering, the stem
is slender and long, and may reach 7.5 cm (3 in). It is lemon yellow at the apex, but red elsewhere, and has a tendency to split or sheer vertically. The flesh is straw-coloured in the cap, and stains slowly blue over the tubes when cut. The flesh of the stem is pale yellow at the apex and yellow further down. At the stem base, the flesh may have a distinct spot of brick-red or orange. The tubes and pores are large and lemon-yellow, and may be greenish tinged when older. The spore print
is olive. It smells pleasant, but indistinct, and is said to taste slightly soapy.
Conflicting information on pore size in notable publications is a possible indication that there may be more than one species involved, both in Britain and in North America. Boletus campestris is very similar, and
Boletus bicolor is almost identical. Neither of these are reported in the British Isles
. In Europe, this species is often mistaken for the all too similar Boletus armeniacus which, however, does not show the same red coloration in the stem base.
, occurring largely with oak (Quercus). It also appears in Europe
, and the Eastern United States
. A similar species noted as "cf versicolor" has been collected from Victoria in southeastern Australia.
Boletus
Boletus is a genus of mushroom, comprising over 100 species. The genus Boletus was originally broadly defined and described by Elias Magnus Fries in 1821, essentially containing all fungi with pores...
genus, with a reddish cap and stipe, and yellow pores. Like many boletes, it stains blue when cut or bruised. It is found in deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
woodland in autumn. There is some question over its edibility, and it is reportedly of poor quality with a taste of soap.
Taxonomy
was one of the pored basidiomycetes to be placed in the genus XerocomusXerocomus
Xerocomus is a genus of fungi which is closely related to Boletus. Many mycologists do not recognize the distinction.Most members of Xerocomus are edible.Ladurner and Simonini published a monograph on Xerocomus in 2003....
in the past, and is still regarded as such in some texts. The previously commonly used binomial name Boletus versicolor (Rostk.), published in 1844, is now reduced to synonymy as it postdates the current name by German mycologist Julius Vincenz von Krombholz
Julius Vincenz von Krombholz
Julius Vincenz von Krombholz was a physician and mycologist born in Oberpolitz , northern Bohemia....
which dates from 1836. Its present specific epithet is Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "somewhat red".
Description
This mushroom has a capPileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
that is scarlet to raspberry red when young, with a dry velvety texture. The extreme margin often has a pale yellow or white band around it, (as in the photograph on the right) and it discolours darker, and dirtier with age. It is a small bolete
Bolete
A bolete is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus that is clearly differentiated from the stipe, with a spongy surface of pores on the underside of the pileus...
, with the cap being rarely over 6 centimetres (2.4 in) in diameter. The pores are small; pale yellow, and bruise slowly. Sometimes tapering, the stem
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
is slender and long, and may reach 7.5 cm (3 in). It is lemon yellow at the apex, but red elsewhere, and has a tendency to split or sheer vertically. The flesh is straw-coloured in the cap, and stains slowly blue over the tubes when cut. The flesh of the stem is pale yellow at the apex and yellow further down. At the stem base, the flesh may have a distinct spot of brick-red or orange. The tubes and pores are large and lemon-yellow, and may be greenish tinged when older. The spore print
Spore print
thumb|300px|right|Making a spore print of the mushroom Volvariella volvacea shown in composite: mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print...
is olive. It smells pleasant, but indistinct, and is said to taste slightly soapy.
Conflicting information on pore size in notable publications is a possible indication that there may be more than one species involved, both in Britain and in North America. Boletus campestris is very similar, and
Boletus bicolor is almost identical. Neither of these are reported in the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
. In Europe, this species is often mistaken for the all too similar Boletus armeniacus which, however, does not show the same red coloration in the stem base.
Distribution and habitat
Uncommon to rare in Southern EnglandSouthern England
Southern England, the South and the South of England are imprecise terms used to refer to the southern counties of England bordering the English Midlands. It has a number of different interpretations of its geographic extents. The South is considered by many to be a cultural region with a distinct...
, occurring largely with oak (Quercus). It also appears in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and the Eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A similar species noted as "cf versicolor" has been collected from Victoria in southeastern Australia.