174 STUDIES OF AMERICAN FUNGI. 



The general appearance of the plant is somewhat like that of the 

 Boletus edit/is, and beginners should be cautioned not to confuse the 

 two species. It is known by its bitter taste and the flesh-colored 

 tubes, while the taste of the B. eJulis is sweet, and the tubes are 

 greenish-yellow, or yellowish or light ochre. 



Plate 55 represents three specimens in color. 



Boletus scaber Fr. Edible. This species is named the rough-stemmed 

 boletus, in allusion to the rough appearance given to the stem from 

 numerous dark brown or reddish dots or scales. This is a character- 

 istic feature, and aids one greatly in determining the species, since 

 the color of the cap varies much. The cap is sometimes whitish, 

 orange red, brown, or smoky in color. The plant is 6-15 cm. high, 

 the cap 3-7 cm. broad, and the stem 8-12 mm. in thickness. 



The pileus is rounded, becoming convex, smooth, or nearly so, 

 sometimes scaly, and the flesh is soft and white, sometimes turning 

 slightly to a reddish or dark color where bruised. The tubes are 

 small, long, the surface formed by their free ends is convex in out- 

 line, and the tubes are depressed around the stem. They are first 

 white, becoming darker, and somewhat brownish. The stem is solid, 

 tapering somewhat upward, and roughened as described above. 



The plant is one of the common species of the genus Boletus. It 

 occurs in the woods on the ground or in groves or borders of woods 

 in grassy places. Writers differ as to the excellence of this species 

 for food ; some consider it excellent, while others regard it as less 

 agreeable than some other species. It is, at any rate, safe, and Peck 

 considers it "first-class." 



Boletus retipes B. & C. This species was first collected in North 

 Carolina by Curtis, and described by Berkeley. It has since been 

 reported from Ohio, Wisconsin, and New England (Peck, Boleti of 

 the U. S.). Peck reported it from New York in the 23d Report, N. 

 Y. State Mus., p. 132. Later he recognized the New York plant as 

 a new species which he called B. ornatipes (29th Report, N. Y. State 

 Mus., p. 67). 1 collected the species in the mountains of North 

 Carolina, at Blowing Rock, in August, 1888. During the latter part 

 of August and in September, 1899, I had an opportunity of seeing 

 quite a large number of specimens in the same locality, for it is 

 not uncommon there, and two specimens were photographed and are 

 represented here in Fig. 167. The original description published in 

 Grevillea 1 : 36, should be modified, especially in regard to the size 

 of the plant, its habit, and the pulverulent condition of the pileus. 

 The plants are 6-15 cm. high, the cap 5-10 cm. broad, and the stem 

 0.5-1.5 cm. in thickness. 



