Chalciporus piperatus, also known as Peppery Bolete, is a small bolete that includes colours ranging from dull reddish brown to pinkish tan, a pore surface that is brownish-reddish and bruises to a darker brown (but not blue), a stem with a bright to dull yellow basal mycelium, and a highly pungent and peppery taste. It grows commonly in both deciduous and coniferous forests, on park lawns, and even in the mountains above the tree line.

Cap starts out hemispherical and becomes almost flat with a slightly wavy margin as it matures. The cap is dry, dull, and slightly sticky when young, but becomes smooth and shiny when mature, with a slightly greasy texture in wet weather. It ranges in colour from yellowish orange to cinnamon brown. The flesh of young specimens is firm, but as the mushroom matures, the cap flesh becomes very spongy. Initially, the pore surface runs down the stem and the angular pores range in colour from cinnamon to rust brown. Stem surface often has shallow longitudinal grooves; the stem is cylindrical, usually tapering in slightly towards a yellowish base. The upper region of the stem is flushed with a colour that matches that of the cap. Spore print cinnamon.

Microscopic Features: The spores measure 7-11 x 3-4 µ and have a smooth surface. They are subfusoid (narrow and tapered at both ends) and appear yellowish in KOH (potassium hydroxide).

Chalciporus piperatus on the MushroomExpert.Com Web site.
Chalciporus piperatus on the First Nature web site.