Order Hymenomtcetes. Tribe Pileati. 



Plate V. 



BOLETUS SUBTOMENTOSUS, 



Gen. Char. Hymenium distinct from the substance of the pileiis, consisting of cylindric separable tubes. Spores 

 oblong. Boletus, — from /SiXos, a ball, from tbe rounded form of many of them. 



Spec. Cliar. B. subtomentosus ; pUeus pulvinate, diy, subtomentose ; tubes adnate, large, angular, simple, pale 

 yellow ; stem, fii'm, even. 



Boletus subtomentosus, LinntBus, Berkeley, Fries, Greville, Persoon, Purton, Tratlinick. 

 Boletus cupreus and crassipes, ScJtceffer. 

 Boletus chrysenteron, Withering, Bidliard. 

 Boletus sanguineus, Withering. 



Hah. Borders of woods, and particularly imder oalis in parks, in sub-alpine districts. Sum m er and early 

 Autumn. 



Cylindrical tubes, nearly parallel with the stem, contain the spores of the Boletus in place of the horizon- 

 tally plaited membrane which forms the gills of an Agaric. These tubes are, hke gills, of a different substance 

 from the pHeus, and may be easily pulled away from it ; as gills are sometimes simple and sometimes forked, 

 so the tubes are either simple or branching into several orifices (compound), which is ascertained by making 

 a section of them. 



The Boletus is the SuiUus of the classics, the Porcino of modern Italy, the Cepe or Potiron of France, 

 and the Toadstool, ];jar excellence, of England. The stuffed cushion-like (pulvinate) pileus appearing to 

 vulgar eyes fitting thi'one for such occupant as the " loathely paddock "; who, poor thing, if he ever did 

 venture on so much assumption, would be Likely to topple down from " shppery places " as higher ambition 

 does. It must be confessed that some of the Boletus tribe require the enthusiasm of a devotee to transform 

 them into touchable objects ; but tliis is not the case with the individual now selected, which has notliing 

 repulsive, if notliing strikingly beautiful about it; and is sufficiently distinct in character to be easily 

 recognized. 



•Boletus siiUomentosns is so named from the minute down which covers the pileus, giving it the texture 

 of a Limerick glove ; it is not glutinous in any stage of growth ; the size is variable, but averages two inches 

 across ; the shape irregular, inclining as frequently to the square as to the circle, resembling a stuffed pin- 

 cushion ; it is frequently cracked in a tessellated maimer, but never scaly. The colour varies, the ground 

 shades being pale olive or yellowish, but the sun gives the exposed parts a red blush, as it does to a peach. 

 The pores, or orifices of the tubes, resemble pale yellow sponge, and are much larger in proportion to the 

 plant, than in many of the gigantic species ; where the fingers bruise them they turn blue-green, so do the 

 tubes in making a section ; and the flesh, which is yellowish wliite, becomes blue as the air acts upon it, but 

 fades again. The tubes are simple, the third part of an inch long, adnate to the stem, or subdecurrent, 



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