Spore-print: brown with distinct yellowish tint when freshly prepared.
Spores: long, ellipsoid, smooth and pale honey when under the microscope, less than 12 µm in length (8-11 µm long × 3-4 µm broad).
Marginal cystidia: in bundles and encrusted with amorphous brown, oily material. Facial cystidia: similar in shape and morphology to marginal cystidia.
Habitat & Distribution: Found on the ground accompanying larch trees either singly or more often in rings or troops.
General Information: This fungus is easily recognised by the poorly developed ring, overall golden-yellow colour and pale yellow viscidness on the cap which comes off on to the fingers when the fruit-body is handled. There are several closely related fungi which also grow with coniferous trees, e.g. Suillus luteus Fries, ‘Slippery jack’, but many need experience in order to identify them. All these fungi were formerly placed in the genus Boletus, because of the fleshy fruit-body with pores beneath the cap. The larch-bolete receives its common name from the close relationship of the fungus with the larch. On drying S. luteus and S. grevillei may strongly resemble one another but the former can be distinguished when fresh by the chocolate brown, sepia, or purplish brown cap and the large whitish, lilac-tinted ring.
Plate 1. Fleshy fungi: Spores borne within tubes
![[Larger illustration]](#467779198995390083_illo029lg.png.id-6485305346898474373.wrap-0.html.html){kind=link}
Plate 2. Fleshy fungi: Spores borne within tubes
