August-September. The
first Pallid Bolete (Boletus pallidus)
I saw was growing at the edge of the trail in the woods just north of the
beach. It appeared to be growing in the soil some distance from any tree.
However, since boletes are mycorrhizal – have a symbiotic relationship with
tree roots – it was probably growing on roots from one of the nearby oaks.
I
might not have taken much notice of this unassuming bolete except for the fact that…
it was in beautiful
condition. I sat on the trail and photographed it.
Its cap was buff to
pale tan-colored and approximately 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter. Caps of Pallid
boletes may range from white to pale tan; sometimes they may have rose-colored
tinges.
The stems of these
boletes are usually equal in diameter along their lengths, are white but may
develop brown streaks. Stems are considered to be smooth, not showing any
reticulation. The stem of this particular bolete was approximately 3 inches
long, tapered from the base to the apex, was pure white, and smooth although
showing some ‘dimpling’.
The pore surface of
this first find was white and slightly translucent and showed some yellowing near
the stem. The pores were relatively large, 2-3/mm. The pore surface bruised
brown when damaged.
I found two Pallid
boletes a week later.
The first of these had
a more convex and darker cap, but exhibited the same plump stem.
The second
exhibited a broad convex, almost flat, cap with a stem that was narrower in the middle
than at the base or apex.
Later, in early
September, I found a couple of Pallid boletes growing on rotting wood.
This bolete had an
almost flat cap. Notably the stem was almost the same diameter along its length.
Its pore surface
was a grayish-cream color due to the color – olive to olive-brown - of the
spores that had been released, and also showed grey-blue bruising near the
margin. Brown streaking was also obvious on its stem. At the base of the stem,
the white mycelium of this species was clearly visible.
A closer views of
the pores shows both the blue-gray bruising of this surface and the angular
shape and density (2-3/mm) of the pores.
In contrast to the
other Pallid boletes I found, this bolete had a white cap. Its pore surface was
discolored by spore release and its stem was tapered and exhibited brown
streaking. The white basal mycelium was visible at the base of the stem as well
as emerging from the wood near the base of the stem.
Once I’d identified
the first Pallid bolete, it was easy to recognize them in spite of the
variability of cap color and stem shape. I found all but one
of these specimens in the woods by the south end of this trail. I found the
last specimen at a distance from the trail north of the Fishing Area.
Boletus pallidus has been documented from North America and
Australia.
References:
Mushroom Expert: Boletus pallidus
The Bolete Filter: Boletus
pallidus
Discover Life: Boletus
pallidus
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