Major Groups > Boletes > Strobilomyces

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The Genus Strobilomyces  

[ Basidiomycetes > Boletales > Boletaceae . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

There are only a few North American members of this genus, and they are relatively easy to separate from the other boletes; they are shaggy to scaly, blackish or grayish mushrooms with woolly stems. Their flesh stains pinkish or orangish red when sliced, then slowly turns black. Species of Strobilomyces are mycorrhizal with hardwoods in eastern North America.

Separating the "Old Men of the Woods" (as they are commonly called) can be difficult if you are not using a microscope; there are some tentative distinguishing features that can be observed with the naked eye, but certain identification probably requires microscopic analysis of spores.

The Old Men are edible, but unpalatable. Please do not report my comment out of context to the AARP.


 		 

Strobilomyces floccopus



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Key to 3 Strobilomyces Taxa in North America  


1.Cap scales grayish pink, pinkish tan or pinkish brown when young; southern in ditribution and possibly limited to association with southern oaks; spores 9-12 x 7-9 µ, elliptical or nearly round, completely reticulate (the spores, not the stem). This species has not been validly published; see Weber & Smith, 1985 (citation below).
"Strobilomyces dryophilus"

1.Not completely as above.
2


2.Cap scales often small, stiff, and pointed; spores with spines and ridges but never completely reticulate.
Strobilomyces confusus
at Macrofungi of Costa Rica
also here, at Roger's Mushrooms

2.Cap scales often larger and softer than above; spores always reticulate.



References

Arora, D. (1986). Mushrooms demystified: A comprehensive guide to the fleshy fungi. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press. 959 pp.

Bessette, A. E., Roody, W. C. & Bessette, A. R. (2000). North American boletes: A color guide to the fleshy pored mushrooms. China: Syracuse UP. 399 pp.

Both, E. E. (1993). The boletes of North America: A compendium. Buffalo NY: Buffalo Museum of Science. 436 pp.

Singer, R. (1945). The boletinae of Florida. Germany: J. Cramer. 126 pp. (1977 reprint.)

Smith, A. H. & Thiers, H. D. (1971). The boletes of Michigan. Ann Arbor: U Michigan P. 428 pp. An online version of this book is available here, at the University of Michigan Herbarium (URL too long for duplication).

Smith, A. H., Smith, H. V. & Weber, N. S. (1981). How to know the non-gilled mushrooms. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown. 324 pp.

Snell, W. H. & Dick, E. A. (1970). The boleti of northeastern North America. Germany: J. Cramer. 115 pp.

Weber, N. S. & Smith, A. H. (1985). A field guide to southern mushrooms. Ann Arbor: U Michigan P. 280 pp.



Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2005, March). The genus Strobilomyces. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/strobilomyces.html