Fauna
Fungus

Wrinkled Bolete

Leccinellum rugosiceps

Also known as Wrinkled Leccinum

Wrinkled boletes form essential mycorrhizal partnerships with oaks, pushing up through leaf litter during warm summer and autumn rains. Their caps start smooth and bright yellow-orange before maturing into deeply pitted, cracked surfaces that resemble hammered leather. When cut or bruised, the dense white flesh undergoes a striking oxidation sequence, shifting quickly to reddish-pink before slowly deepening into dark grayish-purple.

FungusForest FloorMycorrhizal
Wrinkled Bolete reference
(c) mycowalt, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by mycowalt · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyMycorrhizal (absorbs tree nutrients, exchanges soil minerals)
Predators
  • Fungus Gnat Larvae
  • Eastern Gray Squirrel
  • Banana Slug
ThreatsHabitat loss, clear-cutting of oak hosts, severe drought
HabitatsDeciduous and mixed forests with mature oak stands
Life spanFruit body lasts 5–12 days; underground mycelium persists for years
Classification
  1. OrderBoletales
  2. FamilyBoletaceae
  3. GenusLeccinellum
  4. SpeciesLeccinellum rugosiceps
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Many edible mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Check the stem: Look for small, raised dark tufts called scabers along the yellowish stalk.
  • Observe color changes: Slice a small section of flesh to watch the subtle reddish-to-gray bruising reaction.
  • Leave in place: Allow the cap to fully mature so its pores can cast millions of spores into the breeze.
Related species
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