Russell’s Bolete

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List

not listed

NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

Minnesota

not listed

Description

Russell’s Bolete is a fairly common, medium-sized to large, fleshy mushroom. It occurs in the United States east of the Great Plains. There is a disjunct population in southeastern Arizona, an area that hosts a number of eastern species. It also occurs in southern Mexico, northern Central America, and Japan. It is found in the summer and early fall, alone, scattered, or in small groups. It grows on the ground usually under oaks but also under other deciduous trees and sometimes under coniferous trees. It has a mutually beneficial relationship (mycorrhizal) with the tiny rootlets of trees, absorbing sugars and amino acids while helping the tree absorb water.

When it first appears the cap is convex, the margins are rolled inward, and the upper surface is densely covered with fine velvety hairs. It can be yellowish-brown, reddish-brown, buff, or olive-gray. As it ages the cap spreads out and becomes hairless (bald). Mature caps are broadly convex. They can be 1¼″ to 5″ (3 to 13 cm) in diameter but are usually no more than 3½″ (9 cm) in diameter. The upper surface breaks up into small scales exposing the pale flesh beneath.

The stalk is solid, tough, reddish-brown, slender, 4″ to 8″ (10 to 20 cm) long, and 5⁄16″ to ¾″ (8 to 20 mm) thick. It is dry but when young it is sticky just at the base. It is often curved, and it is usually the same size for its entire length, but sometimes it is slightly thickened at the base. The surface is deeply ridged and pocketed (lacerated) in a net-like pattern (reticulate).

The pore surface is yellow when young, becoming greenish-yellow with age. It does not change color when bruised. The pores are angular and wide, 1⁄32″ (1 mm) broad or more. The pore tubes are up to ⅝″ (15 mm) deep.

The flesh is pale yellow throughout, including under the upper skin (cuticle). It does not change color when bruised or sliced. It is edible but the texture is soft and the taste is bland.

The spore print is dark olive to olive brown.

Similar Species

Habitat and Hosts

Oaks and other deciduous trees, sometimes coniferous trees

Ecology

Season

Summer and early fall

Distribution

Sources

24, 30, 77, 83.

Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu. Accessed 8/10/2026).

Aureoboletus russellii (Frost) G. Wu & Zhu L. Yang in Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Abreu, C., Acero P, A., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (2026-07-17 XR). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgykv

Mycology Collections Portal (MyCoPortal) https://www.mycoportal.org/portal/collections/index.php). Accessed 8/10/2026.