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brown birch bolete

leccinum scabrum

Photo by AlexKonig
Published on Project Noah
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50.8843, 5.98617

Field Notes

Description:

The pileus is 5–15 cm (2–6 in.) wide. At first, it is hemispherical, and later becomes flatter. The skin of the cap is light gray-brown to reddish gray-brown, later often more or less brown, smooth, bald, dry, and rather slimy when damp.

The pores are white at a young age, later gray. In older specimens, the pores on the pileus can bulge out, while around the stipe they dent in strongly. The pore covering is easy to remove from the skin of the pileus.

The stipe is 5–15 cm (2–6 in.) long and 1–3.5 cm (3⁄8–13⁄8 in.) wide, slim, with white and dark to black flakes, and tapers upward. The basic mycelium is white.

The flesh is whitish, later more gray-white and does not change color when broken. In young specimens, the meat is relatively firm, but it very soon becomes spongey and holds water, especially in rainy weather. When cooked, the meat of the birch bolete turns black.

L. scabrum has been found in association with ornamental birch trees planted outside of its native range, such as in California
(wikipedia)

Habitat:

location: North America, Europe
edibility: Edible
fungus colour: Grey to beige
normal size: 5-15cm
cap type: Convex to shield shaped
stem type: Stem much longer than cap diameter
flesh: Flesh discolours when cut, bruised or damaged
spore colour: Light to dark brown
habitat: Grows in woods

Bolete Leccinum scabrum (Fr.) S. F. Gray syn. Boletus scaber Fr. Brauner Birkenpilz Bolet rude, Brown Birch. Cap 5–15cm, hazel, fulvous or snuff-brown, dry but tacky in wet weather. Stem 70–200 x 20–30mm, white to grey covered with brownish-black scales becoming darker towards the base. Flesh white, very soft, watery, unchanging or flushing pale pink. Taste and smell pleasant. Tubes white becoming dirty ochraceous. Pores small, white then dingy, bruising ochraceous. Spore print snuff-brown. Spores subfusiform, 14–20 x 5–6um. Habitat with birch. Season summer to autumn. Common. Edible – not worthwhile. Distribution, America and Europe

( http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~6253~gid~~sourc… )

Notes:

The birch bolete (Leccinum scabrum) is an edible mushroom in the family Boletaceae, and was formerly classified as Boletus scaber. The birch bolete is widespread in Europe, as well as elsewhere, in the Northern Hemisphere, occurring only in mycorrhizal association with birch trees. It fruits from June to October; its common names include rough-stemmed bolete, scaber stalk, and birch bolete (wikipedia)

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PublishedFebruary 19, 2012

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