Boletus persicolor
Boletus persicolor (Engel, Klofac, H. Grünert & R. Grünert) Assyov
Xerocomus persicolor Engel, Klofac, H. Grünert & R. Grünert
Boletaceae
Conservation status. Endangered [EN B2ab(iii)].
Morphology and biology. Cap up to 5 cm in diameter, hemispherical to convex, apricot orange or pinkish orange, unchanging when handled. Stipe cylindrical or spindle-shaped, tapering towards the base, pale yellow, sometimes with orange or red tint; surface blueing when bruised. Flesh pale yellow in the cap, lemon yellow in the upper part of the stipe, orange yellow in the base, blueing in the cap when exposed to air. Tubes and pores yellow, blueing when damaged. Basidiospores 11–15 × 5–6 μm. Mycorrhizal with oaks (Quercus) or beech (Fagus sylvatica).
Habitats and populations. Thinned light thermophilous oak or beech forests. Fruit-bodies appear solitary.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Black Sea Coast (Northern), Vitosha Region (Plana Mt), West Frontier Mts (Ograzhden Mt); up to 1000 m.
General distribution. S Europe (Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Spain).
Threats. Limited distribution, forest cutting, planting of non-native trees, habitat loss due to intensive tourism and infrastructure development. Fruit-bodies are often damaged by the parasitic fungus Sepedonium chrysospermum.
Conservation measures taken. Included in the Red List of Fungi in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Sustainable management and conservation of the habitat and of the known locations; monitoring of the populations.
References. Engel et al. 1996; Ladurner & Simonini 2003; Assyov 2005; Denchev & Assyov 2010.
Authors: Boris Assyov & Cvetomir M. Denchev
