cap is up to 11cm wide, convex, medium to dark brown with characteristic cracks and damaged pink patches that have a red tinge.
older specimens have a planar cap with deeper cracks.
underside of cap has yellow pores that buise blue or blue/green.
flesh is white to reddish near the skin, slowly bruises blue or blue/green.
stem is dull yellow, possibly streaked red, dry, often curved.
appears in the spring, summer and fall.
grows singly to numerous in conifer/hardwood stands.
has a mild taste with no odor; cook before eating.
tip: boletes are mushrooms that grow on the ground and have a spongy tubular surface on the underside of the cap - tiny pores, rather than gills. There are no deadly-poisonous boletes, though some poisonous varieties can cause nausea/vomiting. An unknown bolete is safe if it does not bruise blue after being cut, is not red on the underside of the cap, and does not taste foul.
Small amounts should be consumed when testing an unfamiliar bolete.
