Boletus pruinatus - Matt Bolete

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Easily mistaken for a young Red Cracking Bolete (Boletus chrysenteron), the Matt Bolete, Boletus pruinatus occurs in similar habitats. This bolete is distinguished by its cap is fully expanded.

Unfortunately this attractive mushroom is quite rare in Britain and Ireland. the best place to look is under Beech trees, particularly in parkland but also in Beech woodland on alkaline soil.

Identification guide

Cap	The cap surface remains felted throughout its development. The caps of young specimens are covered in a hoary bloom that is lost as the cap expands and the fruitbody ages. Growing to between 4 and 8cm in diameter, the caps have firm, pale flesh that turns slightly blue when cut.
Tubes and Pores	At first pale yellow, the tubes terminate in large angular pores that turn blue-green when bruised. The colour change is sudden and most marked in mature specimens, and a deep blue stain is left on the hands.
Stem	The yellow stem is finely patterned with red dots, most noticeably on the central and lower parts of the stem.
Spore print	Olivaceous-brown.
Odour/taste	Not distinctive.
Habitat	In mixed woodland; particularly common under beech trees.
Season	August to November.
Occurrence	A fairly common species.
Similar species	Boletus chrysenteron , the Red Cracking Bolete, can be similar when young but its caps soon lose their surface bloom and they develop cracks when fully developed.