Leccinum scabrum

Brown Birch Bolete

Leccinum scabrum, the brown birch bolete, is an ectomycorrhizal bolete that grows only with birch. It has a tan to brown cap, whitish to gray pores and a slender stem covered in white to blackish scabers.

Species profile

Edibility: Edible with caution
Edible when firm and cooked thoroughly; some guides consider it not worth collecting because the flesh soon becomes soft and spongy. Commonly picked and pickled in Finland and Russia. Use only firm specimens, and identify carefully, as several similar Leccinum species grow with birch.

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Distribution

Widespread in Europe, the Himalayas and elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere. Introduced and increasingly common in Australia and New Zealand (with Betula pendula) and with planted birch in places such as California, mostly in urban areas.

Characteristics

Cap: 4-10 cm, convex then flattening; tan to brownish, often with a paler edge; smooth, dry to viscid. Pores: whitish when young, later gray; the tube layer peels easily from the cap. Stem: 5-15 cm long, 1-3.5 cm thick, tapering upward, with white to dark or black scabers. Flesh: whitish, sometimes darkening on exposure; becomes soft and waterlogged with age; turns black when cooked. Spore print: brown. Spores: 13-16 x 4-4.5 µm, elliptical.

Species profile

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