Boletus sensibilis is a species of fungus in the family Boletaceae. The species was first described scientifically by American mycologist Charles Horton Peck in 1879.[1] This species is very similar to two other red boletes, Baorangia bicolor and Boletus pseudosensibilis.
| Boletus sensibilis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Young fruit body | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Boletales |
| Family: | Boletaceae |
| Genus: | Boletus |
| Species: | B. sensibilis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Boletus sensibilis | |
Boletus sensibilis | |
|---|---|
 | Pores on hymenium |
 | Cap is convex |
 | Hymenium is adnate |
 | Stipe is bare |
 | Spore print is olive-brown |
 | Ecology is mycorrhizal |
 | Edibility is poisonous |
Description
editThis vibrant mushroom has a stipe (stem) around 5–13 cm (2.0–5.1 in) long, and 2–3.5 cm (0.79–1.38 in) thick. The stipe is nearly round and has a classic club shape. Its convex cap measures 5–12 centimetres (2.0–4.7 in) across and broadens with age. The cap is dirty pinkish red when young, fading to a reddish cinnamon when old. Perhaps the most characteristic trait of this mushroom is its near instantaneous blue staining when handled, which led to the species' name sensibilis, adapted from the Latin word for sensitive. Some describe the smell of the mushroom as a "curry-like" odor, although descriptions of this smell vary. Some authors such as Michael Kuo commented that the "curry-like" odor is not a distinguishing feature for boletus sensibilis, as a lot of Baorangia bicolor collections also smell "curry-like".[2][3] He nevertheless suggests that there is correlation between the "curry-like" smell and the bluing reaction: "But I can tell you that I have not found any of the variations in features to correlate with any of the others, with the possible exception of the curry odor and the more eagerly bruising collections, which often seem to go hand in hand (this may help explain the phenomenon of mislabeling anything that smells like curry as Boletus sensibilis)." The mushroom is mycorrhizal with hardwoods, and can often be seen growing near oaks or beech in the fall and summer east of the Rocky Mountains. The spore print is greyish olive.[4]
While it is commonly labeled as poisonous, some reputable sources such as mycoquebec.org considers it as a choice edible, labeling it as "Très bon comestible".[5] Nevertheless, it remains one of the less well tolerated mushrooms. Any consumption of this mushroom should be preceded by boiling for an extended period of at least 15 min to at least 95 C during the whole period.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Peck CH. (1879). "Report of the Botanist". Annual Report on the New York State Museum of Natural History (32): 33.
- ^ Kuo, Michael. "Boletus bicolor (MushroomExpert.Com)". www.mushroomexpert.com. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ Kuo, Michael. "Boletus sensibilis (MushroomExpert.Com)". www.mushroomexpert.com. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
- ^ "Boletus sensibilis Kuo". Index MushroomExpert. CAB International. Retrieved 2019-02-25.
- ^ "Champignons du Québec - Cardex : Boletus sensibilis". www.mycoquebec.org (in French). Retrieved 2024-09-02.