COMMON NAME: King Bolete, Cep, Porcini.

CAP: (4.5-25.5 cm) wide, convex to nearly flat; surface smooth to slightly wrinkled, dry, sticky when wet, brown to reddish brown, pale cinnamon-brown, rusty red, or yellowish tan; flesh white, not blueing when bruised; odor and taste not distinctive.

PORE SURFACE: white when young, becoming yellow to olive-yellow, then brownish yellow in age, staining yellowish olive to dull orange-cinnamon or pale yellowish brown when bruised; pores small, circular, 2-3 per mm.

STALK: (5-25.5 cm) long, (2-7.5 cm) thick, enlarging downward or nearly equal, sometimes bulbous, white or pale brown, with a distinct, whitish reticulum on the upper one-third or more, solid; partial veil and ring absent.

SPORE PRINT: olive-brown.

MICROSCOPIC FEATURES: spores 13-19 x 4-6.5 μm, elliptic, smooth, pale yellowish brown.

FRUITING: solitary, scattered, or in groups on the ground in woods, especially under conifers; June-October; fairly common.

EDIBILITY: edible and choice; one of the most highly prized edible mushrooms.

COMMENTS: Tylopilus felleus has a brown stalk with coarse brown reticulation, a vinaceous spore print, and very bitter-tasting flesh. Boletus chippewaensis has a pale lemon-yellow cap splashed irregularly with brick to bright rusty red and a creamy lemon-yellow pore surface.

From Mushrooms of Northeastern North America Alan E. Bessette, Arleen R. Bessette, & David W. Fischer  Copright © 1997 Syracuse University, ISBN 0-8156-0388-6