Tylopilus indecisus

[ Basidiomycetes > Boletales > Boletaceae > Tylopilus . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

This bolete is widely distributed in North America, and found under hardwoods or conifers. Crucial features include the pinkish mature pore surface, which bruises brown; the mild taste; and the fairly equal (not club-shaped or swollen) stem that lacks olive shades and is whitish before discoloring on handling. It bears a resemblance to Tylopilus felleus, but lacks the (usually) club-shaped and very reticulate stem of Tylopilus felleus, as well as its extremely bitter taste and (usually) coniferous habitat. See my comments on the pages for Tylopilus rubrobrunneus and Tylopilus badiceps for help separating this species from look-alikes.

Tylopilus indecisus is edible, but I have not tried it.

Description:

Ecology: Mycorrhizal with hardwoods (especially oaks); growing alone, scattered, or gregariously; summer and fall; widely distributed in North America.

Cap: 5-17 cm; convex to broadly convex or nearly flat in age; dry; smooth or finely felty; brown to tan, usually with cinnamon shades.

Pore Surface: White becoming pinkish (eventually nearly brownish); bruising brown; pores angular, 2 per mm; tubes to 12 mm.

Stem: 4-10 cm long; 1-3 cm thick; more or less equal; whitish when young; bruising and discoloring brownish; fairly smooth, or very finely reticulate near the apex.

Flesh: Thick and white; staining pinkish to brownish on exposure.

Odor and Taste: Not distinctive.

Chemical Reactions: Ammonia brownish, pinkish, or negative on cap surface; negative on flesh. KOH dark red to black on cap surface; negative to pale orangish on flesh. Iron salts dark gray on cap surface; negative to faintly bluish on flesh. (Data from my collections.)

Spore Print: Flesh colored to pinkish brown.

Microscopic Features: Spores 10-15 x 3-5 µ; smooth; narrowly spindle-shaped to elliptical.

REFERENCES: (Peck, 1888) Murrill, 1909. (Coker & Beers, 1943; Snell & Dick, 1970; Smith & Thiers, 1971; Thiers, 1975; Smith, Smith & Weber, 1981; Weber & Smith, 1985; Both, 1993; Bessette, Roody & Bessette, 2000.) Herb. Kuo 08310101, 08180603, 07020701.

Further Online information:

Tylopilus indecisus in Smith & Thiers, 1971
Tylopilus indecisus in Thiers, 1975

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2007, February). Tylopilus indecisus. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/tylopilus_indecisus.html