Boletinellus merulioides

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Boletinellus merulioides
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Boletales
Family: Boletinellaceae
Genus: Boletinellus
Species:
B. merulioides
Binomial name
Boletinellus merulioides
(
Murrill
(1909)
Synonyms[2]
  • Daedalea merulioides Schwein. (1832)
  • Gyrodon merulioides (Schwein.) Singer (1938)[1]
  • Boletinus merulioides (Schwein.) Coker & Beers (1943)
  • Boletus merulioides (Schwein.) Murrill (1948)

Boletinellus merulioides, commonly known as the ash-tree bolete, is a species of

ash
trees.

Taxonomy

The species was first

William Alphonso Murrill transferred the species to the genus Boletinellus in 1909.[4] It is commonly known as the "ash-tree bolete".[5] Rolf Singer classified it in the genus Gyrodon, but it is not closely related to that genus genetically.[6]

Description

The cap is initially convex before becoming flattened to convex in maturity, and attains a diameter of 5–12 cm (2.0–4.7 in). The cap surface is dry to slightly sticky, and smooth or covered with tiny fibrils. Its color ranges from yellow brown to reddish brown, and will bruise dull yellow-brown. The flesh is yellow and, when cut, will either have no color reaction or change slowly to blue-green. It has no distinctive odor.[7] The pore surface is pale yellow to dull gold or olive, but will slowly turn blue and then reddish brown as a reaction to injury. The pores are boletinoid, meaning that they have a structure intermediate between gills and pores. They are about 1 mm wide, and the tube layer is 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) deep.[5]

Basidiospores of Boletinellus merulioides, TRTC 52332, taken at 40x in bright field microscopy

The fruit bodies are edible but of low quality,[8] with an acidic and unpleasant taste.[7] The mushrooms can be used in mushroom dyeing to produce light brown or dark orangish brown colors, depending on the mordant used.[9]

Ecology and distribution

Fruit bodies of Boletinellus merulioides grow on the ground scattered or in groups, almost always near

sclerotia. These are spherical to roughly elliptical structures measuring 2–3 mm wide, which have a hard, black to dark brown rind and a hollow internal medulla. Occurring singly or in clumps of over 100, they are usually found between the mineral and organic layers of the soil. The sclerotia allow the fungus to survive harsh conditions such as low temperatures, and will rapidly colonize nearby soil when conditions are favorable.[10] The fungus's preference for growing near ash is not due to a mycorrhizal association between them, but rather because the fungus has a relationship with a parasitic aphid that occurs only on these trees. The aphid feeds on the tree roots, and shelters inside hollow sclerotia formed by the fungus in the soil, or attached to the root system. The aphid secretes carbohydrates and other nutrients that benefit the fungus.[11]

The fungus is found in eastern North America, from eastern Canada south to Alabama and west to Wisconsin. It is also found in Mexico. A common species, it fruits in summer and autumn.[5] It has also been reported in Asia (Japan).[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ Singer R. (1938). "Sur les genres Ixocomus, Boletinus, Phylloporus, Gyrodon et Gomphidius. 2. Les Boletinus". Revue de Mycologie (in French). 3 (4–5): 157–77.
  2. ^ "Boletinellus merulioides (Schwein.) Murrill 1909". MycoBank. International Mycological Association. Retrieved 2012-10-10.
  3. JSTOR 1004834
    .
  4. JSTOR 3753167
    .
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8156-0588-1
    .
  6. PMID 10620406. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2015-10-08.
  7. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7627-3109-1
    .
  8. ISBN 978-1-55407-651-2
    .
  9. ISBN 0-8156-0680-X
    .
  10. JSTOR 3793304
    .
  11. ^ Brundrett MC, Kendrick B (1987). "The relationship between the ash bolete (Boletinellus merulioides) and an aphid parasitic on ash tree roots". Symbiosis. 3 (3): 315–320.
  12. ISSN 0388-8266
    .

External links
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