Strobilomyces Berk.
The only European member of this otherwise extra-European genus is instantly and easily recognized due to its specific appearance.
Strobilomyces strobilaceus (Scop. : Fr.) Berk.
Description
Fruitbodies with partial veil, quickly disrupting and leaving remnants on the cap margin and fugacious cottony ring in the upper portion of the stipe. Cap up to 10 cm, at first hemispherical then expanding to convex, dark grey with some whitish areas, soon almost entirely black, covered with large black wooly scales; margin overhanging. Stipe more or less cylindrical or club-shaped, almost concolorous with the cap, scaly. Flesh white, almost immediately reddening when exposed to air, then changing to grey-violaceous, grey or almost black. Tubes whitish, reddening when exposed to air. Pores at first whitish, then grayish to almost black, bruising red, then quickly blackening. Smell not distinctive. Taste mild. Spores subglobose, distinctly reticulate, 8.514.5 ? 711 ?m.
Habitat. Broadleaf and mixed forests, mycorrhizal with beech (Fagus), oaks (Quercus) or sweet chestnut (Castanea).
Distribution. Widespread throughout Europe, but rare and redlisted in many countries.
Photographs
Fruitbodies of Strobilomyces strobilaceus. (photo B. Assyov)
Strobilomyces strobilaceus. Note the ring and the dramatic change of the flesh colour. (photo B. Assyov)
Strobilomyces strobilaceus. Note the ring and the blackening of the pores. (photo B. Assyov)
Strobilomyces strobilaceus - pores and remnants of the partial veil. (photo B. Assyov)
Spores of Strobilomyces strobilaceus as seen under light microscope. Scale bar = 5 ?m. (photo B. Assyov)
Spores of Strobilomyces strobilaceus as seen under scanning electrone microscope. (photo B. Assyov)
Single spore of Strobilomyces strobilaceus under scanning electrone microscope. (photo B. Assyov)
Important literature
Alessio, C.L. 1985. Boletus Dill. ex L. (sensu lato). In: Fungi Europaei. Vol. 2. Pp. 1705. Libreria editrice Biella Giovanna, Saronno.
Breitenbach J. & Kr?nzlin F. 1991. Pilze der Schweiz. Bd. 3(1). R?hrlinge und Bl?tterpilze. Verlag Mykologia, Luzern.
Estad?s, A. & Lannoy, G. 2004. Les bolets europ?ens. Bulletin Mycologique et Botanique Dauphin?-Savoie 44(3): 379.
Galli, R. 1998. I Boleti. Atlante pratico-monographico per la determinazione dei boleti. Edinatura, Milano.
Hansen, L. & Knudsen, H. 1992. Nordic Macromycetes. Vol. 2. Polyporales, Boletales, Agaricales, Russulales. Nordsvamp, Copenhagen.
Knudsen, H. & Vesterholt, J. [eds.]. 2008. Funga Nordica. Nordsvamp, Kopenhagen.
Lannoy, G. & Estad?s, A. 2001. Les Bolets. Flore mycologique dEurope. Documents Mycologiques M?moire Hors s?rie no. 6. Pp. 1163. Association d?cologie et de Mycologie, Lille.
Mu?oz, J.A. 2005. Boletus s. l. In: Fungi Europaei. Vol. 1. Pp. 1951. Edizioni Candusso, Alassio.
Petersen, R.H., Hughes, K.W., Adam?ik, S., Tkal?ec, Z. & Me?i?, A. 2012. Typification of three European species epithets attributable to Strobilomyces (Boletales). Czech Mycology 64: 141163. (available online)
Pil?t, A. & Dermek, A. 1974. Hr?bovit? huby. ?eskoslovensk? hr?bovit? a sliziakovit? huby (Boletaceae Gomphidiaceae). Veda, Bratislava.
Singer, R. 1967. Die R?hrlinge. II. Die Boletoideae und Strobilomycetaceae. In: Die Pilze Mitteleuropas. Vol. 6. Pp. 1151. Julius Klinkhardt Verlag, Bad Heilbrunn.
?utara, J., Mik??k, M. & Janda, V. 2009. H?ibovit? houby. ?eled Boletaceae a rody Gyrodon, Gyroporus, Boletinus a Suillus. Academia, Praha.
Watling, R. 1970. Boletaceae, Gomphidiaceae, Paxillaceae. In: Henderson, D.M., Orton, P.D. & Watling, R. [eds]. British fungus flora. Agarics and Boleti. Vol. 1. Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.
Watling, R. & Hills, A.E. 2005. Boletes and their allies (revised and enlarged edition). In: Henderson, D.M., Orton, P.D. & Watling, R. [eds]. British Fungus Flora. Agarics and boleti. Vol. 1. Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh.