Aureoboletus betula
Aureoboletus betula is a species of mushroom producing fungus in the family Boletaceae. It is commonly known as the shaggy-stalked bolete.
Taxonomy
It was first described in 1822 by the German-American mycologist Lewis David de Schweinitz and classified as Boletus betula. It has been reclassified many times over the years. In 2004, the Austrian mycologist Egon Horak's classified it as Heimioporus betula. In 2020, it was reclassified as Aureoboletus betula by the mycologists Michael Kuo and Beatriz Ortiz-Santana.Etymology
The specific epithet 'betula', meaning birch, does not an imply a preference for growing under birch trees but to their shaggy bark, which the stipe of this species is reminiscent of.Description
The cap is wide, convex and broadening with age. It starts golden yellow, discolouring to brownish yellow or reddish orange. The texture is sticky and the flesh is yellow. There are 1–2 pores every millimetre with tubes that are 1.5 cm deep. They are bright yellow, turning greenish yellow with age.The stem is tall and 1–2 cm thick. It is distinctly textured with deep ridges and a slightly swollen and rooting base. The stem flesh is white, staining pink when exposed to air. The taste and smell are indistinct.
The spores are ellipsoid, measuring 16–24 x 7–12 μm. The spore print is olive.