Bolete Eater
The mushroom under attack from this Hypomyces mold is a Xerocomellus atropurpureus. This bolete parasite only attacks boletes in the Xerocomellus genus. It is initially white and launches its attack on the pore surface. From there it spreads to all parts of the fungus giving it a dusted white appearance. The spores produced are entirely asexual in this phase. In the next phase the fungus turns golden yellow and produces sexual spores. It has a very lumpy appearance on the surface of the bolete at this point. Finally a reddish-brown sexual state emerges on the mushy remains of the fungus, but this is seldom seen by mushroom collectors. To confidently make the differentiation between
Hypomyces chrysospermus, another bolete eater, and H. microspermus which attacks only Xerocomellus, one needs a microscope to examine spore size and shape. The two Hypomyces species cannot be told apart by visual inspection. Needless to say, one should not eat of the bolete infected by a Hypomyces mold.