Plants and fungi

Boletus edulis

Boletus edulis (English: penny bun, cep, porcino or porcini) is a basidiomycete fungus, and the type species of the genus Boletus. Widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere across Europe, Asia, and North America, it does not occur naturally in the Southern Hemisphere, although it has been introduced to southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Several closely related European mushrooms formerly thought to be varieties or forms of B. edulis have been shown using molecular phylogenetic analysis to be distinct species, and others previously classed as separate species are conspecific with this species. The western North American species commonly known as the California king bolete (Boletus edulis var. grandedulis) is a large, darker-coloured variant first formally identified in 2007.

The fungus grows in deciduous and coniferous forests and tree plantations, forming symbiotic ectomycorrhizal associations with living trees by enveloping the tree’s underground roots with sheaths of fungal tissue. The fungus produces spore-bearing fruit bodies above ground in summer and autumn. The fruit body has a large brown cap which on occasion can reach 35 cm (14 in) in diameter and 3 kg (6.6 lb) in weight. Like other boletes, it has tubes extending downward from the underside of the cap, rather than gills; spores escape at maturity through the tube openings, or pores. The pore surface of the B. edulis fruit body is whitish when young, but ages to a greenish-yellow. The stout stipe, or stem, is white or yellowish in colour, up to 25 cm (10 in) tall and 10 cm (4 in) thick, and partially covered with a raised network pattern, or reticulations.

Prized as an ingredient in various foods, B. edulis is an edible mushroom held in high regard in many cuisines, and is commonly prepared and eaten in soups, pasta, or risotto. The mushroom is low in fat and digestible carbohydrates, and high in protein, vitamins, mineralsand dietary fibre. Although it is sold commercially, it is very difficult to cultivate. Available fresh in autumn in Central, Southern and Northern Europe, it is most often dried, packaged and distributed worldwide. It keeps its flavour after drying, and it is then reconstituted and used in cooking. B. edulis is one of the few fungi sold pickled. The fungus also produces a variety of organic compounds with a diverse spectrum of biological activity, including the steroid derivative ergosterol, a sugar binding protein, antiviral compounds, antioxidants, and phytochelatins, which give the organism resistance to toxic heavy metals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boletus_edulis

Russula cyanoxantha

Russula cyanoxantha
Russula cyanoxantha.JPG
Russula cyanoxantha
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Russulales
Family: Russulaceae
Genus: Russula
Species: R. cyanoxantha
Binomial name
Russula cyanoxantha
(Schaeff.) Fr.
Russula cyanoxantha
View the Mycomorphbox template that generates the following list

Mycological characteristics

gills on hymenium
cap is flat

or convex

hymenium is adnate
stipe is bare
spore print is white
ecology is mycorrhizal
edibility: choice

Russula cyanoxantha, synonymous with R. xyanoxantha, commonly known as the charcoal burner, is a basidiomycete mushroom, distinguished from most other members of the Russula genus by the fact that its gills do not split, but are soft and flexible. It is one of the most common species of Russula in Europe.

It is an edible mushroom. It was designated “Mushroom of the Year” in 1997 by the German Association of Mycology.

Description

The most salient characteristic is the weak gills, which feel greasy to the touch, are flexible and do not break. The cap is 4–15 cm (1.5–6 in) wide, convex at first and later flattened, and greenish to bright brown (they vary considerably in color). The stipe is pure white, slightly convex underneath, up to 10 cm in height and 1.5–2.5 cm (0.5–1 in) in diameter. The spores are pure white. The stipe will give a green reaction when rubbed with iron salts (Ferrous Sulphate). Most other (but not all) russula species give a salmon reaction. Coupled with the gill flexibility this is a good diagnostic clue to species level.

Distribution and habitat

Russula cyanoxantha grows in slightly acidic, but nutrient-rich soil. Like all Russulas, it is a mycorrhizal fungus. It is found most commonly in beech forests, and often in deciduous or mixed forests, appearing from May to November, with the highest concentration in July to September.

Use

Suitable for many kinds of preparation; the flesh is not as hard as that of many other edible Russulas. It has a mild, nutty taste.

Similar species

The cap of the grey-green Russula Russula grisea is more blue-grey but has violet or green hues with light cream gills. This fungus also grows in mixed forests, particularly under beech, and more rarely in coniferous forests.

Source: Russula cyanoxantha – Wikipedia

Beech

Pronunciation: ‘bēch
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural beech·es or beech
Etymology: Middle English beche, from Old English bēce; akin to Old English bōc beech, Old High German buohha, Latin fagus, Greek phēgos oak
Date: before 12th century

: any of a genus (Fagus of the family Fagaceae, the beech family) of hardwood trees with smooth gray bark and small edible nuts also : its wood
–beech·en \’bē-chən\ adjective
copper beech
Function: noun
Date: 1846

: a beech with shining coppery-red leaves that is a widely planted cultivar of a beech (Fagus sylvatica) native to Europe

Concise Oxford English Dictionary
beech
■ noun a large tree with smooth grey bark, glossy leaves, and hard, pale, fine-grained wood. [Fagus sylvaticus (Europe) and other species.]

OE bēce, of Gmc origin.

EngMac
beech
n бука; beech II a букин, буков; бука

English-Serbian dictionary
Beech
Bukva