296 



NEW YOKE STATE MUSEUM 



Boletus versipellis Fr. 



O-raege-cap Boletus. 



; Plate 34. Figs. 6 to 10. 



Pileus convex, dry, smooth or at first very minutely tomentose, 

 reddisrTor orange-red, the flesh white or grayish, the margin 

 adorned with the inflexed remains of a membranous concolorous 

 veil ; tubes small, depressed around the stem, whitish or grayish- 

 white, becoming darker or more dingy with age; stem rather 

 long, firm, solid, roughened with small reddish or blackish prom- 

 inent dots or scales, whitish ; spores oblong-fusiform, brown, 

 .00055 to .0007 in. long. 



The Orange-cap boletus takes its common appellation from the 

 color of the cap. This is quite constantly a dull yellowish-red, 

 less brilliant than orange. The peculiar distinguishing feature 

 of the species is found in the torn or somewhat scalloped remains 

 of the veil which adheres to the margin of the cap and is of the 

 same color as it. It is generally turned under the margin and 

 adheres slightly to the tubes also. It is not difficult to imagine 

 it to be an extension of the epidermis of the cap. 



The tubes are rather long, and in the mature plant they often 

 form a convex mass, those near the margin and those near the 

 stem being shorter than the intervening ones. The color is at. 

 first whitish or grayish, but in the mature plant it is considerably 

 darker and not easily defined. 



The stem is usually equal to or a little longer than the hori- 

 zontal diameter of the cap. It is frequently a little narrowed at 

 the top. Its color is similar to that of the young tubes, and it is 

 adorned with numerous reddish or blackish prominent points, 

 dots or scales. In some instances these are uniform in color, in 

 others the two kinds of points are intermingled on the same stem. 



Cap two to six inches broad, stem three to five inches long, one- 

 third to three-fourths of an inch thick. 



Woods and open places. I find this species especially in sandy 

 soil of pine districts. It is single or scattered in its mode of 

 growth and appears from August to October. It is by no means 

 as common as the next species, to which, in my trials of it, it 

 seemed inferior in esculent qualities. But differences in age or 

 conditions of growth or in methods of cooking might make the 

 difference in flavor. Dr. Cooke says it is equally as good as the 

 next species . 



