Chestnut Bolete

Chestnut Bolete  -  Gyroporus castneus

Dry, chestnut-brown cap with small white pores becoming yellowish and hollow, brownish stalk.

Cap – 1 ¼” to 4” (3-10 cm), broadly convex to flat, chestnut-brown to tawny-orange – flesh white

Tubes – deeply sunken around stalk

Stalk – 1 ¼” to 3 ½” (3-9 cm) height,  ¼ to 3/8” (0.5-1 cm) thick, dry smooth, light brown to tawny-orange

Spores – 8 to 12 X 5 to 6 µ, elliptical and smooth, spore print yellow

Season – late June to early October

Range – Maine to Florida

Edibility – Choice

Unfortunately this mushroom is a favoured host of a deforming fungal parasite, the Golden Hypomyces. 

There were about 1/2 dozen of these just budding out in the last day or so - if the spore print checks out I will try these in about 3 to 4 days.  I'm not too worried because these are boletes which are one of the safest types of wild mushrooms for the amateur.  There are only a few that make you sick to your stomach and these all occur in those that develop a bluish bruise look when broken apart - and these meet the above description very well - with no blue bruising effects.  The worst that can happen if I have mis-identified is that they might taste bad - and when I braise one in olive oil I will only take the smallest bite and be ready to spit it out.  (if this is my last post send your regards, eh?)

05 July 2013