Boletus edulis edulis
Fries, Systema Mycologicum 1:392. 1821

Mushroom Synonyms
GenusSpeciesVarietyFormCitationBookVol. PageYear
Leccinumedule(Fries) S. F. GrayNat. Arr. Brit. Pl.1:6471821
Tubiporusedulis(Fries) KarstenRev. Mycol.3:161881
Dictyopusedulis(Fries) Queletenchiridion Fungorump. 1591886
CeriomycescrassusMurrillMycologia1:1491909
Boletuscrasus(Murrill) JaczewskiOpredelital' shlyapochnykh Gribov1:5941913

Kindgom: Fungi
   |
   +----Division: Eumycota
           |
           +----Subdivision: Basidiomycotina
                   |
                   +----Class: Hymenomycetes
                           |
                           +----Order: Agaricales
                                   |
                                   +----Suborder: Boletineae
                                           |
                                           +----Family: Boletaceae
                                                   |
                                                   +----Subfamily: Boletoideae
                                                           |
                                                           +----Genus: Boletus
                                                                   |
                                                                   +----Section: Boletus
                                                                           |
                                                                           +----Subsection: Boleti
                                                                                   |
                                                                                   +----Stirps: Edulis
At a Glance: Large brown to reddish-brown cap; bulbous base when young; white to yellowish pores; white stalk with very slight reticulations; pleasant nutty taste (not bitter)

Pileus Size: (6) 8 - 15 (25) cm broad; Shape: convex to broadly convex; rarely becoming plane in age; Color: variable: yellow-brown, tawny-brown, reddish- or orangish-brown, often paler on the margin; Surface: smooth but sometimes becoming somewhat wrinked in age; dry to moist to viscid when wet; Flesh: white, but sometimes slightly yellowish in age; Odor: pleasant; Taste: somewhat nutty; Chemical reactions: very slight KOH reaction.

Tubes Attachment: depressed around the stipe; Depth: up to 2 cm deep; Color: white at first, but becoming a greenish-yellow; Miscellaneous: very fine; Pores Color: at first white but then becoming greenish yellow; Width: small and round; Miscellaneous: stuffed at first.

Stipe Size: (6) 10 - 20 (25) cm long; 2 - 7 (10) cm wide; Shape: sometimes very bulbous when young but becoming nearly equal in age; Surface: fine white reticulations over the top half, but sometimes all of the stip; Color: whitish to brownish; Consistency: solid; Flesh: white.

Spore Deposit: olive-brown; Size: (13) 14 - 17 (19) um x 4 - 6 um; Shape: ellipsoid to spindle-shaped; Surface: smooth.

Microscopic Basidia: 4-spored; 32-40 x 10-12 microns.

Edibility: This has been rated as a choice edible by all reviewed sources. It is sold in many of the European markets, and shipped worldwide when dried. This is also a good mushroom for beginning mycophagists.

Habitat: Mixed woods, but seems to prefer conifers. It is abundant in western North America, but apparently not as plentiful here on the East coast. It is also found over much of Europe, in Australia and South Africa, where conditions are favoriable.

Comments: The King Bolete has been known and cherished since the days of the Romans. There is really no more impressive sight than to come upon a large patch of massive King Boletes. But alas, to the mycophagist, there is no more unhappy sight then to find a large patch of massive, maggot infested King Boletes!

According to one source, there is more protein by weight in dried King Boletes than in any other dried vegetables. There have been many stories over the years as to the possible medicinal qualities of this mushroom, but I have not confirmed this in any modern literature. If you can't find the King Bolete growing in your neck of the woods, you may be able to purchase dried Ceps at your local delicatessen. Unfortunately you probably won't be able to buy them fresh because they have alluded commercial cultivation attempts (not an uncommon situation for any mycorrhizal fungi).

Common Names
Common NameCountrys
Bordeaux CepFrance
Cep
Cepe
Edible Bolete
Edible Boletus
King Bolete
King BoletusNorth America
Porcini
Steinpilz
The Penny Bun

References / Bibliography
SourcePage / Vol:PageDescriptionReferenced As
700 Pilze59Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
A Guide to Mushrooms & Toadstools190Drwg & DescriptionLeccinum edule
All That the Rain Promises, and More... A Hip Pocket Guide to Wes154, 153Pic Clr & Descrip.Tubiporus edulis
California Mushrooms: A Field Guide to the Boletes33MentionDictyopus edulis
California Mushrooms: A Field Guide to the Boletes33MentionBoletus edulis edulis
California Mushrooms: A Field Guide to the Boletes33MentionBoletus edulis edulis
California Mushrooms: A Field Guide to the Boletes33Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
California Mushrooms: A Field Guide to the Boletes33MentionBoletus edulis edulis
California Mushrooms: A Field Guide to the Boletes33MentionBoletus edulis edulis
Collecting and Studying Mushrooms, Toadstools and Fungi203, Pl. 9Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
edible and Poisonous Mushrooms of Canada224Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
Foraging for edible Wild Mushrooms84PicBoletus edulis edulis
Fungi of Japan317Sm. Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
How to Recognize 30 edible Mushrooms34Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
Introduction to Mushroom Hunting47Pic & DescTubiporus edulis
Mushroom - The Journal of Wild, vol. 8 #3, Radiocesium Levels in Wild-Growing Mushrooms from Various Locations6Article, smallBoletus edulis edulis
Mushrooms104Drwg & DescriptionBoletus edulis edulis
Mushrooms & Other Fungi of the Midcontinental united States159Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
Mushrooms and Toadstools in Color137Drwg & DescriptionBoletus edulis edulis
Mushrooms Demystified530Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
Mushrooms of North America264Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
Mushrooms of North America (Phillips)233Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
Mushrooms of Western North America105DescriptionBoletus edulis edulis
Mushrooms: A Quick Reference Guide to Mushrooms of North America40Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
One Thousand American Fungi445, xliiiDescription & Clr PlateBoletus edulis edulis
Simon and Schuster's Guide to Mushrooms240Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms568Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
The Boletes of Michigan372MentionLeccinum edule
The Boletes of Michigan372MentionTubiporus edulis
The Boletes of Michigan372MentionDictyopus edulis
The Boletes of Michigan372Pics & ArticleCeriomyces crassus
The Complete Book of Mushrooms177, 122Drwg & DescriptionBoletus crasus
The Complete Book of Mushrooms9Pic Clr & Sm. Desc.Boletus edulis edulis
The Complete Book of Mushrooms177MentionBoletus edulis edulis
The encyclopedia of Mushrooms172, 95, 105Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
The Mushroom Handbook260, Pl. 7Pic & DescBoletus edulis edulis
The Mushroom Hunter's Field Guide108Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis
The Mushroom Trailguide176Drwg & DescriptionBoletus edulis edulis
The New Savory Wild Mushroom5Pic Clr & Descrip.Boletus edulis edulis


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