Midwest 2009

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Boletaceae -- names provisional, pending deeper study... The Eastern part of North America is blessed with so many species in this group that in my estimation the number is higher than the sum of all of the rest of the explored areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Putting names on them is a dizzying experience. Since the literature is quite mixed up on some items, going back to the original descriptions and trying to make sense of them (if at all possible) is an important step. Some things will probably be named easily while some like the Boletus subvelutipes group are quite mixed up and may require an involved restudy. NSIW = Not Seen In The West

Boletus bicolor This is one of the most attractive species, second only to Boletus frostii in beauty... NSIW

Boletus subvelutipes group Beyond not being certain exactly how many species exist in the group of Eastern North American Erythropodes (non-reticulate, red pored, bluing Boletes), the way they are described in the original literature makes it very hard to assign names. A great deal of diagnostic weight has been placed on the pubescence of the lower stipe, its color, etc. After having looked at quite a few collections it appears that this is not a very strong character to base an id on. I saw some small, some large, some with smooth caps, some velutinous, some evenly colored, some variegated, and so on collections. There is a singular member of that group in the West, also not particularly well named,. NSIW

Pubescent lower stipe in some cases...


Strobilomyces confusus This is the one member of this little, but extremely peculiar Genus that has non-reticulate spores. I believe it has rather flatter cap scales, but Halling's excellent treatment disputes that shortcut to identification. NSIW

Strobilomyces floccopus/strobilaceus NSIW

Phylloporus sp. or spp. My enthusiasm to put an epithet on any of the North American Phyllopori is somewhat tempered. The species name rhodoxanthus seems overused and applied even to Calfiornia material that doesn't quite look like it... In all Midwestern material I observed slight bluing reaction that could easily be overlooked. "North American Boletes" by Bessette at al lists only non-bluing species. NSIW

Retiboletus ornatipes -- an old friend, new Genus and always that twisted lower stipe. NSIW

Boletus sp. NSIW

Leccinum sp. probably rugosiceps One should always check for the bruising reactions of the context in this group... NSIW

+5 min.

+20 min.

Boletus campestris always on the edge of the woods. Typical NE species. We never see this one in Calfiornia. NSIW

The rest are a bunch of Boletus and Tylopilus collections that will take a while to id unless someone has strong views on what is what and is willing to share them.