This guide applies to the Chicago Region and is not complete for other regions.
Guide to Strobilomyces
The genus Strobilomyces is unmistakable. These boletes have dark scaly caps and stems giving them the common names of old-man-of-the-woods and pine-cone fungus. The flesh stains reddish then slowly black. However, reliably separating the two very similar species of the midwest requires using a microscope to check the ornamentation on the spores.
This photo appears to be Strobilomyces confusus because of the small numerous scales on the cap, but checking the spores will confirm a correct identification.
| Key Choice | Go to | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1a. Spores spiny and reticulate, the spines with cross-connections forming a network. Cap scales often shaggy, large and soft. |  |
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Strobilomyces floccopus |
| 1b. Spores spiny but not reticulate. Cap scales are often smaller and more numerous. |  |
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Strobilomyces confusus |
| Note: Spores need to be checked when the caps have scales intermediate between the two extremes pictured here. | |||