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THE BOLETI OF THE BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT. 
THE BOLETI OF THE BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT. 
BY W. B. GROVE, B.A. 
The discovery this year of three species of Boletus, new 
to the Birmingham district, suggests a few notes concerning 
them, to draw attention to their abundance here, in species, 
if not in individuals. It is well known that several kinds of 
Boletus are good eating, but it is probable that one which I 
find to be abundant is usually passed over, because it has 
not ordinarily the reputation of being edible. For the sake 
of those not much acquainted with fungi, it may be premised 
that the genus Boletus is one which contains large fleshy 
species, with a central stem and a cap or pileus more or less 
like a common mushroom in shape, but having instead of 
gills a mass of contiguous vertical tubes, the lower ends of 
which consequently present a number of roundish openings, 
called pores. 
Taking the “Handbook” as our guide—because none of 
the species since added to the British Flora have been dis¬ 
covered here—we find in the first place that every member of 
the section “ Viscipelles ” is recorded for this district. I 
found the first, Boletus luteus, in Sutton Park in 1881. 
Mr. J. E. Bagnall, A.L.S., records it for Middleton, and also 
B. eletjcms for Coleshill Heath and Great Packington. The 
common yellow ringed Boletus, in all places near Birmingham, 
is B. jlavus, which was first described under this name by 
our own botanist, William Withering. It was previously 
figured by Bolton as B. annularius , and was mistaken by 
Sowerby for B. luteus. There is undoubtedly a very striking 
likeness between these species; one may often see large 
numbers of Boletuses growing together, some showing the 
bright yellow pileus, characteristic of B. Jlavus, and others a 
browner pileus, reminding one of B. luteus, but all evidently 
the same species in various stages of growth. The reticula¬ 
tion of the yellow apex of the stem of the former, above the 
ring, by the decurrent pores, is well known to be a specific 
character, and certainly when compared with the white 
glandular* apex of a typical B. luteus would seem to afford 
an easy means of distinction. But on examining a large 
number of specimens it will be found that this reticulation 
gradually disappears until the apex of the stem becomes 
merely scabrous, although remaining yellow. Still I have 
* The glandular aspect is caused by little groups of tho sub- 
ferruginous spores clinging to the fibres which roughen the stem. 
These spores have no tinge of yellow, as those of B. flaeus have. 
