Suillus plorans

Description

Suillus plorans is an edible species of mushroom in the genus Suillus. The species was originally named Boletus Plorans by Léon Louis Rolland before transferred to Suillus by Otto Kuntze in 1898. Although known as a predominantly European fungus, the species was recorded in Mexico in 1982.

This is a mutualistic ectomycorrhizal mushroom-forming fungus that exchanges soil mineral nutrients for photosynthates from its host. The species associates with five-needle pine (Subgenus Strobus) hosts.

Mushroom Identification

1. Cap

   Up to 10 cm, at first hemispherical, then expanding to convex, dark ochraceous to light or dark brown, dry or viscid.

2. Stipe

   Cylindrical or slightly swollen at the base, more or less concolorous with the cap, but mostly paler, covered throughout with brownish granuls.

3. Flesh

   Yellowish to yellow, unchanging when exposed to air. Tubes dirty mustard-colored to rusty.

4. Pores

   Small, rounded, mustard-colored.

5. Odor and Taste

   Smell not distinctive. Taste not distinctive.

6. Spores: 9–11.5 × 4–5 μm.

7. Habitat

   Alpine coniferous forests, but also underplanted trees in parks and gardens, mycorrhizal with five-needle pines (Pinus cembra, P. sibirica, P. wallichiana).

8. Distribution

   In Europe known mostly from the high mountains, where the mycorrhizal trees are present. Not yet seen in the Balkans, but it might be well present there under Macedonian pine (Pinus mugo).

9. Similar Species

   Might be probably confused with Suillus variegatus which has paler cap, stem without granular dots, and flesh that blues in the cap. In addition, it grows under a wider range of pines.

Photo sources:

Photo 1 - Author: Suillus_plorans_211063.jpg: Gerhard Koller (Gerhard)derivative work: Ak ccm (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Photo 2 - Author: Gerhard Koller (Gerhard) (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Photo 3 - Author: 2012-04-07_Suillus_plorans_(Rolland)_Kuntze_211065.jpg: (CC BY-SA 3.0)