Summary:
Features include 1) often massive size, 2) a viscid cap that lacks distinct scales and is yellow (especially when young) or reddish brown to vinaceous brown or cinnamon or with green tinges, 3) a cap margin with hanging veil remnants, 4) yellow flesh that is greenish in the stem base, 5) large, yellow pores that stain brownish, 6) a massive, yellow stem that is equal or narrows downward and stains rusty brown from handling, and 7) a membranous annulus often stained reddish cinnamon on the underside from a gelatinous outer layer. Suillus imitatus var. viridescens is considered a synonym and has more conspicuous green tinges. The cap of the latter was described originally in Smith(10) as "by maturity at times showing dark green spots as if stung by an insect or flushed olive dark green over wide areas" and rarely the surface blackish green to dingy bluish green. The pore surface of var. viridescens was not described as turning blue or green but the stem surface was sometimes green apart from the apex and the stem flesh was sometimes green or blue when cut (Smith(10)).

Chemical Reactions:
cap surface stains black with application of KOH, flesh stains vinaceous with application of KOH and gray with FeSO4, (Bessette)

Odor:
acidic or not distinctive (Bessette), sharply acidulous, (Smith)

Taste:
not distinctive (Bessette), mild, (Smith)

Microscopic:
spores 8-12 x 4-5 microns, elliptic to subfusoid, smooth, colorless to olive-yellow, (Bessette), spores 8-10(12) x 3.8-5 microns, elliptic to subfusoid or nearly oblong, smooth, pale ochraceous in Melzer''s reagent, colorless to olive-yellowish in KOH; basidia 4-spored, 26-31 x 7-10 microns, clavate, colorless in KOH; pleurocystidia 29-72 x 5-8 microns, cylindric to clavate, or crooked, at times subfusoid, colorless or with dark brown pigment as revived in KOH, single or in clusters and with dark yellow-brown pigment in and around base of cluster, cheilocystidia similar to pleurocystidia; cap epicutis a gelatinous layer of interwoven colorless to pale ochraceous hyphae 2-4 microns wide and branched not infrequently; caulocystidia 50-70 x 6-12 microns, cylindric to clavate or fusoid, scattered and in clusters, colorless to dark brown in KOH and some incrusted in addition, "amorphous dark brown pigment around clusters and distributed in caulohymenium (as revived in KOH)"; clamp connections absent, (Smith)

Spore Deposit:
brown (Bessette), snuff brown, (Smith)

Notes:
Suillus ponderosus is found at least in WA, OR, and CA, along the Pacific coast, (Smith), ID (collections at Oregon State University), and BC (in Redhead, and collection at the University of British Columbia).

EDIBILITY

yes (Bessette)

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Tremella foliacea (Pers.) Fr.