Boletus permagnificus
Boletus permagnificus Pöder
Boletaceae
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B1ab(iii)].
Morphology and biology. Fruit-bodies in groups of 3–7, sometimes solitary. Cap up to 10 cm in diameter, convex to nearly flat, bright red to blood red, blueing when damaged. Stipe central, cylindrical or tapering downwards, in the upper part yellow, in the lower part yellowish orange or orange, with red network; surface blueing when bruised. Flesh lemon yellow, blueing when exposed to air. Tubes yellow, pores red or orange red, blueing when bruised. Basidiospores 13–16 × 5.5–6.5 μm. Mycorrhizal with oaks (Quercus).
Habitats and populations. On poor shallow soil in light thermophilous oak forests close to the seashore.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea Coast (Northern); up to 100 m.
General distribution. Bulgaria, Italy (incl. Sardinia), France (Corsica).
Threats. Limited distribution, forest cutting, habitat loss due to intensive tourism and infrastructure development. Fruiting bodies are often severely damaged or destroyed by the parasitic fungus Sepedonium chrysospermum.
Conservation measures taken. Species whose habitats need priority protection according to the Biological Diversity Act. Included in the Red List of Fungi in Bulgaria. Part of the population is in Irakli Protected Site. Two of the known localities are situated in a site of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Sustainable management and conservation of the habitat and of the known locations; monitoring of the populations.
References. Pöder 1981; Engel et al. 1983; Assyov 2005; Muñoz 2005; Denchev & Assyov 2010.
Authors: Boris Assyov, Cvetomir M. Denchev
