Species details

White-stemmed aspen bolete

Leccinum albostipitatum

Conditional / expert preparation
White-stemmed aspen bolete – Leccinum albostipitatum

Photo: Holger Krisp · CC BY 3.0 · Photo source · License

Description

An orange-red Leccinum with a characteristically white stem and pale scabers, growing mainly with aspen and poplar.

Identification features

The cap is 5–10 cm, hemispherical to cushion-shaped, orange-red. The long white stem has white to slightly orange-brown scabers that do not turn black. Cut flesh first becomes wine-red, then grey and may blacken.

Identification checklist

Key features are the orange-red cap, white stem with pale scabers and association with aspen or poplar. Check colour changes in cut flesh.

How to separate similar species

Leccinum aurantiacum and L. versipelle usually have darker stem scabers. Tree association is an important clue.

Habitat

Grows on damp acidic soils with aspen and poplar, less often elsewhere, in summer and autumn; rare.

Fruiting period

June, July, August, September, October

Similar species

Extended-description sources