, which is stout, bulbous, often disproportionately
elongated; pale-brown; straight or flexuous, generally with a fine
raised net-work of pink lines near junction of cap, sometimes extending
to the base. The taste is agreeable and nutty, especially when young.
Woods and open places. July and August. Common about Salem and
Chillicothe, Ohio.

It is one of our best mushrooms. Captain McIlvaine says: "Carefully
sliced, dried, and kept where safe from mold, it may be prepared for the
table at any season."

_Boletus speciosus. Frost._

THE HANDSOME BOLETUS. EDIBLE.

[Illustration: Figure 287.--Boletus speciosus. Natural size. Cap red or
deep scarlet. Tubes bright lemon-yellow.]

Speciosus means handsome.

The pileus is three to six inches broad, at first very thick,
subglobose, compact, then softer, convex, glabrous or nearly so, red or
deep scarlet. The flesh is pale yellow or bright lemon-yellow, changing
to blue where wounded.

The tubes are adnate, small, subrotund, plane, or slightly depressed
around the stem; bright lemon-yellow, becoming dingy-yellow with age,
changing to blue where bruised.

The stem is two to four inches long, stout, subequal or bulbous,
reticulated, bright lemon-yellow without and within, sometimes reddish
at the base. The spores are oblong-fusiform, pale, ochraceous-brown,
10-12.5x4-5u.

The young specimen can be recognized by the whole plant's being of a
vivid lemon-yellow except the surface of the cap. The plant quickly
turns to green, then blue, wherever touched. It has a wide distribution
in the Eastern and Middle states. The plant in Figure 287 was found in
Haynes' Hollow by Dr. Chas. Miesse and photographed by Dr. Kellerman.

As an edible it is among the best. Found from August to October.

_Boletus cyanescens. Bull._

[Illustration: Figure 288.--Boletus cyanescens.]

Cyanescens is from _cyaneus_, deep blue, so called the moment you touch
it, it turns a deep blue.

Pileus is two to four inches across, convex, then expanded, sometimes
nearly plane, frequently wavy, covered with an appressed tomentum;
opaque, pale-buff, grayish-yellow, or yellowish, flesh thick, white,
quickly changing to a beautiful azure-blue where cut or wounded.

The tubes are quite free, openings small, white, then pale-yellow,
round, changing color the same as the flesh.

The stem is two to three inches long, ventricose, hoary with fine hair,
stuffed at first, then becoming hollow, colored like t