Porphyrellus porphyrosporus
Encyclopedia
Porphyrellus porphyrosporus, commonly known as the dusky bolete, is a rare fungus
belonging to the Boletaceae
family. With its purple-brown cap
and stem
, Porphyrellus porphyrosporus is not easy to spot, despite its large size. This summer and autumn species occurs under pines, but can also be found below deciduous trees. It is a large (both cap diameter and stem length up to 15 cm) brown bolete
. Its most distinctive features are the purple-brown spore print
and the blue-green colour of the flesh at the top of the stem and above the hymenium
.
This is a widespread species of Europe, especially in the north, but is nowhere particularly common. The fruit bodies
appear from late summer to autumn, often in small groups, associated with broad-leaved trees such as beech
and oak
.
The stem is 1 to 3 cm (0.393700787401575 to 1.2 in) in diameter and 5 to 15 cm (2 to 5.9 in) tall, the stems of this species are tobacco brown and slightly velvety to the touch when young, becoming smooth as the fruit body matures.
The mushroom has an unpleasant sour taste and odour. One source considers it "probably edible".
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...
belonging to the Boletaceae
Boletaceae
Boletaceae are a family of mushrooms, primarily characterized by developing their spores in small pores on the underside of the mushroom, instead of gills, as are found in agarics. Nearly as widely distributed as agarics, they include the Cep or King Bolete , much sought after by mushroom hunters...
family. With its purple-brown cap
Pileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
and stem
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
, Porphyrellus porphyrosporus is not easy to spot, despite its large size. This summer and autumn species occurs under pines, but can also be found below deciduous trees. It is a large (both cap diameter and stem length up to 15 cm) brown bolete
Bolete
A bolete is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus that is clearly differentiated from the stipe, with a spongy surface of pores on the underside of the pileus...
. Its most distinctive features are the purple-brown spore print
Spore print
thumb|300px|right|Making a spore print of the mushroom Volvariella volvacea shown in composite: mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print...
and the blue-green colour of the flesh at the top of the stem and above the hymenium
Hymenium
The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in others some cells develop into sterile cells called cystidia or...
.
This is a widespread species of Europe, especially in the north, but is nowhere particularly common. The fruit bodies
Basidiocarp
In fungi, a basidiocarp, basidiome or basidioma , is the sporocarp of a basidiomycete, the multicellular structure on which the spore-producing hymenium is borne. Basidiocarps are characteristic of the hymenomycetes; rusts and smuts do not produce such structures...
appear from late summer to autumn, often in small groups, associated with broad-leaved trees such as beech
Beech
Beech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
and oak
Oak
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
.
Description
This mushroom has a dark brown cap with a noticeably paler margin. Initially convex, caps expand and sometimes become irregularly lobed. It is 6 to 15 cm (2.4 to 5.9 in) in diameter when fully expanded, the caps have soft buff flesh with a vinaceous tinge. When cut or bruised, the tubes turn blue-green.The stem is 1 to 3 cm (0.393700787401575 to 1.2 in) in diameter and 5 to 15 cm (2 to 5.9 in) tall, the stems of this species are tobacco brown and slightly velvety to the touch when young, becoming smooth as the fruit body matures.
The mushroom has an unpleasant sour taste and odour. One source considers it "probably edible".