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The Boletales are an order of Agaricomycetes, containing over 1300 species with a diverse array of fruiting body types. The boletes are the best known members of this group, and until recently, the Boletales were thought to only contain boletes. The Boletales are now known to contain distinct groups of agarics, gasteromycetes, and other fruiting body types.

Gomphidius subroseus, family Gomphidiaceae

The order Boletales originally was erected to describe boletes, however, based on micromorphological and molecular phy logenetic characteristics, it has recently been established that a large number of non-bolete species belong to this group as well.^[1] The order also includes some gilled mushrooms, in the families Gomphidiaceae and Paxillaceae, which often have the same flesh texture as the Boletes, spore-bearing tissue which is also easily separable from the cap, and similar microscopic characteristics of spores and cystidia. Molecular phylogenetic evidence has moved several other physically dissimilar groups into Boletales, including the Sclerodermataceae (earthballs) and the Rhizopogonaceae (false truffles).

Phylogenetic analyses shows the Sclerodermataceae, Boletinellaceae and Gyroporaceae appear to form a discrete group within the Boletales, and together with the Pisolithaceae, the Astraceae and the Calostomaceae, are grouped under the suborder Sclerodermatineae. Thus the boletes of Gyrodon and Phlebopus are more closely related to earthballs of Scleroderma than to Boletus.^[2] Similarly, the bolete genus Suillus is more closely related to the agarics and false truffles of Chroogomphus, Gomphidius, and Rhizopogon than to Boletus.^[3]

In some classification systems, a part of the family Boletaceae is separated off to form the family Strobilomycetaceae.^[4][5] According to the 2008 (10th) edition of the Dictionary of the Fungi, the Boletales comprise 17 families, 96 genera, and 1316 species.^[6]

Ecology

B. parasiticus on Scleroderma citrinum

The Boletales are largely ectomycorrhizal fungi, and hence are found mainly in or near woodlands. Certain species are parasitic rather than ectomycorrhizal. Members of the family Gomphidiaceae are thought to be parasitic upon members of the family Suillaceae; these relationships are often highly species-specific. Other parasitic boletes included Boletus parasiticus which grows on Scleroderma citrinum.^[7]

Edibility and Identification

Paxillus involutus, family Paxillaceae

Boletes are usually identified by having a sponge-like surface under the cap, instead of the usual gills. They come in a variety of colors such as Red, White, Brown and Grey. Many of the inedible boletes are either white or red, and these should be avoided during picking.

The genus Boletus contains many members which are edible and tasty, most notably, the Boletus edulis (Porcini) group, including Boletus aereus and Boletus pinophilus, though many others are eaten as well, such as Boletus badius. Boletus edulis and its relatives are of great commercial importance in Europe and North America. Species of Suillus are considered by many to be slimy and insipid, however, in Russia, they are often pickled and even sold commercially this way. In North America, Suillus pungens is known also as the "Slippery Jack," and said by some to be delicious cooked, provided the slimy coat of its cap is removed beforehand.

Many boletes, while non-toxic, are nonetheless bitter tasting and inedible.

The Paxillaceae contain a number of species that have been implicated in fatal poisonings. A few boletes are also highly toxic (though generally not deadly), notably the (fortunately fairly conspicuous) Boletus satanas and allies. Still, many mushroom hunters recommend that beginners start with boletes, since deadly mix-ups are far less likely than with agarics.

See also

• Bolete eater
• List of bolete species

Ecology

B. parasiticus on Scleroderma citrinum

The Boletales are largely ectomycorrhizal fungi, and hence are found mainly in or near woodlands. Certain species are parasitic rather than ectomycorrhizal. Members of the family Gomphidiaceae are thought to be parasitic upon members of the family Suillaceae; these relationships are often highly species-specific. Other parasitic boletes included Boletus parasiticus which grows on Scleroderma citrinum.^[7]

Edibility and Identification

Paxillus involutus, family Paxillaceae

Boletes are usually identified by having a sponge-like surface under the cap, instead of the usual gills. They come in a variety of colors such as Red, White, Brown and Grey. Many of the inedible boletes are either white or red, and these should be avoided during picking.

The genus Boletus contains many members which are edible and tasty, most notably, the Boletus edulis (Porcini) group, including Boletus aereus and Boletus pinophilus, though many others are eaten as well, such as Boletus badius. Boletus edulis and its relatives are of great commercial importance in Europe and North America. Species of Suillus are considered by many to be slimy and insipid, however, in Russia, they are often pickled and even sold commercially this way. In North America, Suillus pungens is known also as the "Slippery Jack," and said by some to be delicious cooked, provided the slimy coat of its cap is removed beforehand.

Many boletes, while non-toxic, are nonetheless bitter tasting and inedible.

The Paxillaceae contain a number of species that have been implicated in fatal poisonings. A few boletes are also highly toxic (though generally not deadly), notably the (fortunately fairly conspicuous) Boletus satanas and allies. Still, many mushroom hunters recommend that beginners start with boletes, since deadly mix-ups are far less likely than with agarics.

See also

• Bolete eater
• List of bolete species

References

External links

• "The Boletes ('Boletales')" by Michael Kuo, MushroomExpert.Com, March 2005
• The Boletes of Michigan by Alexander H. Smith and Harry D. Thiers, 1971. (Full text monograph)