SOME COMMON MUSHROOMS AND HOW TO KNOW THEM 45 
and at maturity marked with more or less radiating lines. The flesh is red, 
thick, soft, juicy, and traversed by tenacious fibers. The tubes are at first 
short and yellowish, becoming elongated and discolored in age. 
The cap is 3% to 8 inches broad, reported as attaining in England a weight 
of 30 pounds. 
This fungus is variously known as the beefsteak fungus, beef tongue, oak 
tongue, or chestnut tongue. It grows from decaying crevices of certain decid- 
uous trees, such as oak and chestnut, but preferably the chestnut. The beef- 
steak fungus is widely distributed and has an international reputation for its 
edibility. 
BOLETUS 
In general appearance, namely, the pileate and stipitate character 
of the plants, the species of the genus Boletus resemble members of 
the Agaricaceae. The important difference is the fact that in species 
of Boletus the spores, instead of being developed on gills, are borne 
in numerous small tubes, which are closely crowded but easily sepa- 
rable from one another and from the hymenophore. 
Most of the plants of this genus are terrestrial, but occasionally 
they are to be found growing on wood. Some species are edible and 
considered exceedingly good, while others are extremely dangerous. 
The phenomenon of changing color on exposure to air exhibited by 
certain species is not a character peculiar to either poisonous or 
edible varieties. 
KEY TO SPECIES OF BOLETUS 
Surface of hymenium yellow, orange, or greenish. 
Ring present; cap distinctly viscid when moist; stem 
granular-dotted above the ring_____-- fies SAR 1 a ee .. B. luteus. 
Ring absent: 
Stem more or less dotted with granules ; pileus dis- 
tinetly viscid when moist— 
Stem long and distinctly granular-dotted_________ B. granulatus. 
Stem short and indistinctly granular-dotted______. B. brevipes. 
Stem not dotted with granules, but reticulate with a 
network of lines, pruinose, or fibrous-striate— 
Stem reticulate— 
Tube mouths eventually bright red to orange; 
surface of cap becoming whitish___________ B. saganas. 
Tube mouths fiesh color; cap brownish tawny; 
Neste GtLkCrw tO che jeastes = = ee B. felleus. 
Tube mouths creamy white then greenish____- B. edulis. 
Stem not reticulate— 
Pileus and stem dark red and pruinose; tubes 
bright yellow changing to blue when 
WEGERGCe RE a ye eee wee re ee SA B. bicolor. 
Pileus darkish fuscous red, surface areolate 
cracked, the interstices red; stem fibrous- 
striate; tubes bright yellow then greenish 
| PUNT Go ES aa A ee ee ee ee B. chrysenteron, 
Pileus bay brown; stem brown; pruinate; 
tubes creamy citron, turning bluish green 
A ECELE MOVE (ELE (Es | Sue ES as ee ea en B. badius. 
BOLETUS LUTEUS. (EDIBLE) 
The cap is convex, becoming nearly plane, viscid or glutinous when moist, 
dull yellowish to reddish brown, sometimes streaked or spotted; the flesh is 
whitish or dull yellowish; the tubes are adnate, minute, yellow becoming darker 
with age; the stem is stout, pale yellowish, brownish or reddish, dotted above 
22297 °—31——-4 
