Boletus regineus
Encyclopedia
Boletus regineus, commonly known as the queen bolete, is an edible
and highly regarded fungus
of the Boletus
family that inhabits southwestern North America
. It was considered a variant of the similarly edible B. edulis
for many years until declared a unique species in 2008. Phylogenetic
analysis has shown B. regineus as a member of a clade
, or closely related group, with B. subcaerulescens
, Gastroboletus subalpinus
, B. pinophilus
, B. fibrillosus
, and B. rex-veris
.
Edible mushroom
Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruiting bodies of several species of fungi. Mushrooms belong to the macrofungi, because their fruiting structures are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. They can appear either below ground or above ground where they may be picked by hand...
and highly regarded fungus
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
of the Boletus
Boletus
Boletus is a genus of mushroom, comprising over 100 species. The genus Boletus was originally broadly defined and described by Elias Magnus Fries in 1821, essentially containing all fungi with pores...
family that inhabits southwestern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It was considered a variant of the similarly edible B. edulis
Boletus edulis
Boletus edulis, commonly known as penny bun, porcino or cep, is a basidiomycete fungus, and the type species of the genus Boletus. Widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere across Europe, Asia, and North America, it does not occur naturally in the Southern Hemisphere, although it has been...
for many years until declared a unique species in 2008. Phylogenetic
Phylogenetics
In biology, phylogenetics is the study of evolutionary relatedness among groups of organisms , which is discovered through molecular sequencing data and morphological data matrices...
analysis has shown B. regineus as a member of a clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
, or closely related group, with B. subcaerulescens
Boletus subcaerulescens
Boletus subcaerulescens is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Boletus found in northeastern North America. The fruiting bodies are found associated with pine and spruce. The cap is up to 18 cm wide, convex to flat, and brown in color. The tubes are yellow and stain blue when bruised, while...
, Gastroboletus subalpinus
Gastroboletus subalpinus
Gastroboletus subalpinus is a species of fungus in the family Boletaceae. The species was first described scientifically in 1969 by American mycologists Harry Delbert Thiers and James M. Trappe. It is found in California and Oregon....
, B. pinophilus
Boletus pinophilus
Boletus pinophilus, commonly known as the pine bolete or pinewood king bolete, is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Boletus found throughout Europe. The large, edible fruiting bodies known as mushrooms appear under pine trees, generally in summer and autumn...
, B. fibrillosus
Boletus fibrillosus
Boletus fibrillosus is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Boletus found in western North America. The fruiting bodies are found in mixed coastal forests in the fall. The cap is up to 17 cm wide, buff to brown to dark brown in color, and has a wrinkled to finely fibrous texture. The tubes...
, and B. rex-veris
Boletus rex-veris
Boletus rex-veris, commonly known as the spring king bolete, is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Boletus found in western North America. The large, edible fruiting bodies known as mushrooms appear under pine trees, generally in May to June. It has a pinkish to brownish cap and its stem is often...
.