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 ยต,
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?)
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| 05 July 2013 |
