Boletus aestivalis    (Paulet) Fr. 

common name(s) : Summer Bolete 

New classification: Basidiomycota/Agaricomycotina/Agaricomycetes/Agaricomycetidae/Boletales/Boletaceae  
Former classification: Basidiomycota/Homobasidiomycetes/Agaricomycetideae/Boletales/Boletaceae/Boletoideae [ section:Edules ]  

synonyms: Boletus reticulatus, Tubiporus reticulatus, Boletus edulis-reticulatus 

edibility : edible, good

photo gallery of  Boletus aestivalis
photo gallery of  Boletus aestivalis potential confusions with  Boletus aestivalis toxicity of Boletus aestivalis genus Boletus  

The cap is uniform, dark brown then pale brown, generally speaking quite pale, fleshy, thick, of hemispherical then convex shape, becoming more or less flattened or depressed. The cap surface is matt, finely downy, dry (non viscous in damp weather), becoming slightly cracked (particularly towards centre) in dry weather or with age. The cap margin is the same colour as main body of the cap.

The stem is thick, full, initially short and swollen, then more or less equal or swollen towards the base. Its colour is pale brown to hazelnut brown or grey-brown. It is covered with a white network, well defined (particularly on young specimens), paler than the background and visible throughout the stem, getting browner with age.

The flesh is thick, firm, white to cream, including under the cap surface, a bit yellow above the tubes, unchanging when exposed to air; its taste is pleasant, sweet; the odour is pleasant;

The tubes are thin, easily removed from cap, long, whitish then yellow-greenish to green-brown, almost free, unchanging when exposed to air.

The pores are small, round, regular, white, then dull yellow, greenish yellow to green brown (concolorous to tubes), not changing colour when pressed, sometimes slightly pink close to the margin. The spore print is olive brown.

It grows rather early (sometimes as soon as April), but becomes rarer after September; It can be found in open, well aerated areas (edge of woods, clearings, paths, around shrubs) in deciduous woods or under conifers, sometimes also in park and gardens, on a rather calcareous soil, essentially with oak, beech, hornbeam, chestnut, but also ash, birch.

The fruiting period takes place from May to November.
Dimensions: width of cap approximately 15 cm (between 4 and 30 cm)
  height of stem approximately 11 cm (between 5 and 20 cm)
  thickness of stem (at largest section) approximately 40 mm (between 20 and 100 mm)
  spores : 13-20 x 4-6 microns, spindle-shaped

Chemical tests : no reaction of flesh to ammonia.

Distinctive features : flesh distinctively white under cap surface (no trace of pink-brown); stem entirely covered with a well defined whitish network; cap with velvety surface, cracking when dry, without white rim at margin; sweet odour and taste

Boletus aestivalis is occasional and widely present in the forest of Rambouillet, and is occasional, more generally speaking .
here should be the distribution map of Boletus aestivalis in the forest of Rambouillet
Above : distribution map of Boletus aestivalis in the forest of Rambouillet



page updated on 14/01/18