Boletes

(Boletus edulis)

The King Bolete is a very popular, tasty, and meaty mushroom that you can find all over the world. This mushroom goes by: king, cep, porcini, steinpilz, penny bun and many other names. Although they are quite easy to identify, some boletes tend to vary in color. The king is often very large and stately with a thick club shaped stem, a thick cap and an impressive "kingly appearance".

The cap (pileus) is often 2-10 inches wide or larger, smooth, and thick. The cap can also be a bit sticky if found in a damp environment. The convex tends to become flat at maturity. As stated before, the color can vary and is often light brown to reddish brown. This mushroom has a dense top and becomes more sponge-like with age. Unlike many mushrooms, boletes have a pleasant aroma.

The pores (hymenophore) of boletes are closely spaced, small, and white. When young, the pore layer is hard and white and, with age, tends to become yellow, or greenish brown and soft.