Suillus grevillei    (Klotsch:Fr.) Singer 

common name(s) : Larch Bolete, Larch Bolete1, Elegant Bolete 

New classification: Basidiomycota/Agaricomycotina/Agaricomycetes/Agaricomycetidae/Boletales/Suillaceae  
Former classification: Basidiomycota/Homobasidiomycetes/Agaricomycetideae/Boletales/Boletaceae  

synonyms: Boletus elegans, Ixocomus elegans, Boletus grevillei, Boletus flavus, Suillus flavus ss.Sing., Suillus elegans 

edibility : discard

photo gallery of  Suillus grevillei
photo gallery of  Suillus grevillei potential confusions with  Suillus grevillei toxicity of Suillus grevillei genus Suillus  

The cap is bright yellow to orange-brown, fleshy at centre, often slightly umbonate, hemispherical to bell-shape almost conical, then convex and finally flattened. The cap surface is smooth, very slimy and sticky when damp, shiny when dry, entirely and easily peelable. The cap margin is smooth, with white veil remnants at the edge (young specimens), and inrolled for a long time.

The stem is firm, full, rather slim. It is of more or less equal diameter, often slightly swollen at the base. It is white, cream to yellow with dots or sometimes a coarse network. A membranous and fragile ring is present on the stem, which initially connects the stem to the edge of the cap in the youth. This ring is whitish then yellowish, but remains immaculate, and may disappear over time..

The flesh is thick, tender at first in young specimens, then quickly soft and very spongy in the cap, while it becomes more fibrous in the stem. It is white to pale yellow or lemon yellow, turning more or less to pink grey when exposed to air, without any shade of blue. It is brighter in the cap than in the stem; its taste is faint and mild; the odour is weak and pleasant, sometimes of geranium flower according to some authors;

The tubes are adnate and slightly decurrent, rather short (10-20 mm). They are pale yellow then yellow brownish.

The pores are round then angular, thin, lemon yellow then cinnamon, turning pink grey to russet brown when pressed. The spore print is ochre brown to yellow brown.

It grows in pathsides or coniferous forest edges, on a rather indifferent soil, exclusively associated to larch.

The fruiting period takes place from June to December.
Dimensions: width of cap approximately 9 cm (between 2 and 20 cm)
  height of stem approximately 8 cm (between 3 and 15 cm)
  thickness of stem (at largest section) approximately 15 mm (between 8 and 35 mm)
  spores : 7-11 x 3-5 microns, spindle-shaped to ellipsoid

Distinctive features : viscous, lemon yellow to orange cap; stem with white to yellow membranous short-lasting ring; yellow pores, tainted with pink grey or orange when pressed; exclusively with larch

Suillus grevillei is quite rare and localised in the forest of Rambouillet, and is occasional, more generally speaking .
here should be the distribution map of Suillus grevillei in the forest of Rambouillet
Above : distribution map of Suillus grevillei in the forest of Rambouillet



page updated on 14/01/18