Suillus subalutaceus photographed by Nhu Nguyen, September 9, 2014. University of Minnesota Cloquet Forestry Center.

Suillus subalutaceus

Suillus subalutaceus (A.H. Sm. & Thiers) A.H. Sm. & Thiers is an ectomycorrhizal mushroom-forming fungus in the family Boletaceae. The species associates with Pinus hosts in the subgenus Pinus where it exchanges mineral nutrients for photosynthates from its host. The most reliable records for its distribution are Minnesota and Michigan, with some records eastward to Maine, north to Quebec and Nova Scotia, Canada. There is record of it being collected in North Carolina. Overall, it seems to be a species with a northern range. It is similar in morphology to Suillus acidus, and has been classified as a variety of that species in the past. Morphological and molecular evidence both suggest that it is a distinct species from S. acidus (Smith & Thiers 1971, Nguyen et al. 2016).

Suillus as a genus is one of the most common ectomycorrhizal symbionts of the pine family (Pinaceae) in the northern hemisphere. Commonly known as ‘Slippery Jacks’, the mushrooms of this genus provide food for both wildlife and humans. Suillus species have been used in forest restoration following natural and human-made disturbances, have potential for bioremediation (mycoremediation), and likely play an important role in facilitating soil carbon sequestration in mycorrhizal forests.

This genome is part of the Community Science Program (Proposal 502931) “A genome atlas of the ectomycorrhizal genus Suillus: Phylogenetic diversity and population genomics of a keystone guild of symbiotic forest fungi”, a collaborative effort aimed at using genomics data to understand and connect the evolutionary history, ecology, and genomic mechanisms of mutualistic ectomycorrhizal symbionts and their Pinaceae hosts. Please contact the PI for permission prior to the use of any data in publications.

References:

Nguyen NH, Vellinga EC, Bruns TD, Kennedy PG. 2016. Phylogenetic assessment of global Suillus ITS sequences supports morphologically defined species and reveals synonymous and undescribed taxa. Mycologia 108:1216–1228, doi:10.3852/16-106.

Smith AH, Thiers HD. 1971. The Boletes of Michigan. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.