 12 October 2010 Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin Cap Convex, expanding with age, finely downy, dry, brown to whitish, margin sometimes overhanging, to 8 cm across Pores Whitish to greyish, bruising brown Stem Cylindrical, tapering towards the apex, covered with woolly scales that are initially white, then greyish with age, often with blue stains at the base Flesh Whitish, variously described as unchanging (Funga Nordica) or discolouring pink (various sources) Smell Indistinct Taste Indistinct Season Autumn Distribution Very common Habitat With birch Spore Print White Microscopic Features Spores spindle-shaped (14-19.5) x (4-6.5) µm2 Edibility Edible, poor Notes This species was first described as recently as 1991. The brown capped Leccinum species which grow in association with birch are a difficult group, which underwent significant revisions as a result of DNA studies. See also Leccinum scabrum, Leccinum holopus and Leccinum schistophilum. Additional Photographs  23 August 2008 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin |