 RBG Kew herbarium accession number K(M)160940. 13 September 2008 Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin Cap Convex, then flattened or depressed, irregular, coarsely scaly, pinkish brown to reddish brown, to about 15 cm across Spines Decurrent, brittle, whitish then purple brown, to about 10 mm long Stem Equal or broader at the apex, whitish, pinkish or reddish brown, sometimes blue green, dark green or black at the base Flesh Firm, whitish or pale pink, blue green to grey green in the stem base Smell Mealy Taste Bitter or acrid Season Autumn Distribution Rare, with most records from Southern England. Known from Berkshire, Hampshire, Kent, Surrey and Scotland Habitat With oak and sweet chestnut Spore Print Yellow brown to brown Microscopic Features Spores sub-spherical with prominent warts (6-7.5) x (5-6) µm2. Edibility Inedible Notes This species could be confused with S. imbricatus, which lacks the mealy smell, and S. glaucopus, both of which grow with conifers Additional Photographs  13 September 2008 Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin  15 September 2008 Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin  5 August 2009 Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin  5 August 2009 Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin  Hyphae on the surface of a spine viewed with a x40 microscope objective and x2.5 projection lens. 15 August 2009 Surrey. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin |