So basically I am reposting as two separate posts for boletes I found under Quercus ilex, fruiting early in October, in calcareous substrate present in the Msltese Islands, maybe someone is familiar with them.
This collection often formed thick stipes and spherical reddish to reddish-brown pileus not much broader from the stipe (probably it will extend to a convex shape when fully mature).
Reddish-brown, somewhat in three zones, the central more reddish to reddish brown, then a faded potion and turning bark brown at the border, then a whitish lining at the margin
Stipe light yellow, with golden hues, then reddish streaks or flushes at the lower half which becomes more intense after collection
When cut the upper half remains light yellow, but below it forms reddish streaks which intensify towards the base. The colouring is most intense just under the cuticle at the base. A faint blue color was observed after time or cutting a specimen collected after 12 hours
Hymenium or stipe do not change colour when bruised
Scent faint mildly fungal, not of anything distinct. Taste palatable, good-tasting, mushroom-like but not of anything distinct too.
Pores rounded, about 0.3mm diameter, circular to more often oval-ellipsoid, irregular and sometimes coalescing forming elongated (linear) shapes up to 1.2mm long
Spores fusiform-navicular with a tiny germ pore at one pole and a small eccentric apicullum at the other. Contents with 2-3 large oil drops sometimes with few smaller ones. Measurement: 9.7 [11 ; 11.6] 12.9 × 4.7 [5.3 ; 5.5] 6.1 µm [ Me = 11.3 × 5.4 µm ; Qe = 2.1]. Spore mass dull olive-brown, darkens slightly in KOH.
I.considered Hortiboletus rubellus and Hortiboletus (Xerocomus) cisalpinus or just again abnormal specimens of X. redeuilhii (also present there) but not so happy with any of these three.
