What is this fungus?

[rich59]

Every year I get a huge fungus under a local oak tree. I think it may boletus edulus but it looks a bit pale to me and would value some help. It can be up to the size of a small pizza - 20cm diameter.

Growing

Mature

Past it

 

[stuart f]

Hi Rich,i think it could be either Boletus appendiculatus the Oak Bolete or maybe Boletus impolitus the iodine Bolete,both of which grow under Oak,but my hunch is its the latter. Because the Oak Bolete has irregular cracking that may appear in the centre of the cap.But unfortunetly i can,t really tell if its cracked on the cap just from the photo. Hope this is of some help.

 

[Moonraker]

Oak Bolete (Boletus appendiculatus) for me. The bruising on the third picture is typical and the yellow colour, certainly of the ones that are fairly common around our village in France.

Try to catch it a bit younger next year and you will have some very good eating or even better drying

 

[rich59]

Thinking back to a local fungal foray a few weeks ago, when we looked at an Oak bolete, then I think this is not dark enough. The boletus impolitus - yellow form - seems to fit the bill better with the clay coloured cap (except in the huge mature specimens). I don't think there was any cracking on any of them.
So, not the best but still edible.

Next year I will run through some of the stated tests/ smells, and then try the cooking!

 

[spamel]

I have seen a few parasols still growing here, I'm amazed as it is cold as you like!! I think this weekend may be my final fungi foray in Germny, then I will need to find pastures new when I move back to UK next year. At least I may be able to make it to this coming years moot!!

 

[Moonraker]

Thinking back to a local fungal foray a few weeks ago, when we looked at an Oak bolete, then I think this is not dark enough. The boletus impolitus - yellow form - seems to fit the bill better with the clay coloured cap (except in the huge mature specimens). I don't think there was any cracking on any of them.
So, not the best but still edible.

Next year I will run through some of the stated tests/ smells, and then try the cooking!

Cap colour can be pretty variable depending on soil type, variation etc. It looks quite rusted on the cap in the photo 2 but that may be the image quality. The best test is to smell it around the base of the stem as the B. impolitus species has a distinct iodine whiff, at least to my nose. Phillips indicates that the spore coliur is quite different, olivaceous snuff-brown in B. appendiculatus and lemon-yellow then lemon-chrome in B. impolitus. Another useful test.

Happy smelling, licking cooking