COMMON NAME: Frost's Bolete, Apple Bolete.

CAP: (5-15.5 cm) wide, hemispheric to convex, becoming broadly convex to flat; surface with a whitish bloom when young, quickly becoming smooth and sticky when moist, initially dark blackish red to bright red, fading with age to blood-red with yellowish areas; margin incurved when young, becoming upturned in age; flesh pale to lemon-yellow, rapidly staining blue when cut or bruised; odor and taste not distinctive.

PORE SURFACE: dark red when fresh, paler in age, often beaded with yellow droplets when young and moist, quickly blueing when bruised; pores circular, 2-3 per mm.

STALK: (4-12 cm) long, (1-2.5 cm) thick, nearly equal to enlarging downward, solid, deeply and coarsely reticulate, dark red, often yellow or whitish at the base, slowly staining blue when cut or bruised; partial veil and ring absent.

SPORE PRINT: olive-brown.

MICROSCOPIC FEATURES: spores 11-17 x 4-5 μm, elliptic, smooth, pale brown.

FRUITING: scattered or in groups on the ground under hardwoods, especially oak; July-October; occasional to fairly common.

EDIBILITY: edible.

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