BOLETUS IMBRICATUS. IMBRICATED BOLETUS.
BOLETUS lmtecata^coriadeo-fragilis, luteo-fulyus, subsessilis, imbricatus, came albescente, poris
BOLETUS imbricates. Bull. Champ f . S4L(. 366. Smerby Fung. ml. 2. t. 86. Lamarck FI
. . . F ' | ■ 3’ mL a ' 9 119- Lam- Fl- GaU- B P■ 24- Lam. D id . Sappl. ml. l .p . 669.
BUEE1 US amancans. Pers. Syn. Fung.p. 5 3 1.
C lass a n d O r d e r . CRYPTOGAMIA FU N G I.
[N a t u r a l O r d e r , FU N G I, Juss. D e Cand.]
G e n . C h a r . Pileus sessilis aut stipitatus, facie inferiore, etinterdum super
dentibus. D e Cand.
re, instructa tubisgongylos recon-
Fungus magnus, aggregatus, imbricatus, subsessilis.
Pileus subrotundatus, convexus, undulatus, lasvis, lu-
teo-fulvus, etiam cinnamomeus, margine palli-
diore, varie lobato, 'sinuato, putrescente nigro.
C a r o subcrassa, fragilis, rotate firma, coriacea, alba
(amara, radicis Gentian® luteee odorem redolet,
Bull.),
Pori numerosi, coaliti, pilei substantia arete connexi,
et faciem inferiorem omnino tegentes {fig- 1.),
quandoque, basi preecipue {Jig- 2.) nulli, breves,
flavescentes vel pallide fulvi, exemplaribus juni-
oribus minutis, etvixconspicuis (Jig. 3.), proce-
rioribus majoribus (Jig. 4.), ssepe irregularibus.
Fungus large, collected in dusters, imbricated, sub-
sessile.
Pileus roundish, convex, undulate, smooth, yellowish,
brown or even cinnamon-coloured, with the mar-
gin paler, lobed, sinuose, when putrefying black.
Flesh somewhat thick, fragile, firm by age ana coria-
ceous, white (according to Bulliard bitter, yielding
a smell like that of the roo.t of the yellow
Gentian.)
Pores numerous, united to and closely connected with
the substance of the pileus, either altogether covering
the under side (Jig. 1.), or sometimes but
principally at the base wanting (Jig. 2.), short,
yellowish or pale fulvous, in younger individuals
minute, scarcely visible (Jig. 3.), in the older
ones (Jig. 4.) larger, often irregular.
Bulliard’s figure of this large and handsome Boletus is sufficiently characteristic, nor does it in any particular differ
from our specimens, except m having the pores of a deeper and redder colour. Mr. Sowerby’s fitrire made from
specimens gathered in the same spot as those here given, is excellent. No other author has yet described it ”
British, and we believe it has only been found on trees in Kensington Gardens, where it has for many years appeared
on some decaying stumps quite close to the ground*, extending sometimes two or more feet around the
base of the trunks, I t is a herbaceous perennial, growing from the same base for several years successively
^ ; e S c S ,a ^ v : : n £ e,Sht m0Dth? : iSi" t h e - P“ - *1- - t b s o f l - S
p ^ Ä ^ r “ ™ gathered by Mr- Graïes- to whom 1 “ iDdebted ftr - ■ * °f * •
In a young state ite texture is so soft, especially if the weather be moderately warm and damp, that it is
easily pierced by the blades of grass ; but as it advances in age, and when deprived of moisture, the whole plant
hardens, and if gathered in this state, on drying it becomes coriaceous and almost ligneous; the fine fulvous brown
of the pileus, and even the paler colour of the pores, all become of a deep blackish purple. The taste is hiriilv
disagreeable, and the smell extremely offensive; which latter property it retains long ifter it is perfectly desiccated!
Bulliard observes that the flesh is bitter, (whence Perspon has, without sufficient reason, we conceive, changed
“ f B I E S ? s“ el> [esembhng that of the Gmtiana /„tea; from this circumstance
inferring that it may be usefully employed in the Pharmacopoeias. Even in its most vigorous state on being bruised
it is subject to decay, turning black and affording food for insects.
While in the act of gathering this plant, Mr. Graves observed that his hand, placed within the cluster, was sen-
it wL^removed t a n 'th e T e if k 0™ * * Fungus’ m d that this continued to be emitted during many hours after
raLht o f T ° fT d heisht of f" ty ¥ “ from on » tree in weight of the cluster was thirty pounds French, and from its great size the author says it resembled a huthgee fluomreps t ooff Froocnkt.ainebleau. The