Pileus 2.5 in. broad. Stem 3–4 in. long, 5–6 lines thick.
Mixed woods. North Carolina. C.J. Curtis.
The description here given has been derived from a single dried specimen and from the notes kindly sent by Mr. Curtis. The species is apparently well marked and very distinct by the peculiar reticulations of the pileus. Peck, Boleti of the U.S.
B. subgla´bripes Pk.—rather smooth. Pileus convex or nearly plane, glabrous, reddish inclining to chestnut color. Flesh white, unchangeable. Tubes adnate, nearly plane in the mass, pale yellow, becoming convex and darker or greenish-yellow with age, the mouths small, subrotund. Stem equal, solid, scurfy, pale yellow. Spores oblong-fusiform, 12.5–15×4–5µ.
The smoothish-stemmed Boletus is well marked by its cylindric minutely scurfy stem which is colored like the tubes. Its cap is smooth and nearly always some shade of red or bay. Specimens occur occasionally in which it approaches grayish-brown or wood-brown. The flesh is white and unchangeable when cut or broken.
The tubes at first have a nearly plane surface, but this becomes somewhat convex with age, and slightly depressed around the stem. The tube mouths are small and nearly round. The color of the tubes is at first a beautiful pale yellow, but it becomes darker or slightly greenish-yellow with age.
The stem is colored very nearly like the tubes, but sometimes it has a slight reddish tint toward the base. Its peculiar feature consists of the minute, branny particles upon it. They are so small and pale that they are easily overlooked.
There is a variety in which the cap is corrugated or irregularly pitted and wrinkled. Its name is Boletus subglabripes corrugis Pk.
The cap is 1½-4 in. broad, the stem is 2–3 in. long and 4–8 lines thick. The plants are found in woods in July and August. Peck, 51st Rep. N.Y. State Bot.
B. pal´lidus Frost—pale. (Plate [CXVII], fig. 4, p. 424.) Pileus convex, becoming plane or centrally depressed, soft, glabrous, pallid or brownish-white, sometimes tinged with red. Flesh white. Tubes plane or slightly depressed around the stem, nearly adnate, very pale or whitish-yellow, becoming darker with age, changing to blue where wounded, the mouths small. Stem equal or slightly thickened toward the base, rather long, glabrous, often flexuous, whitish, sometimes streaked with brown, often tinged with red within. Spores pale ochraceous-brown, 10–12×5–6µ.