Butyriboletus pseudoregius

Morphological Features:

Pileus measuring between 10 and 15 cm in diameter at maturity, initially hemispherical, then convex, and finally flattened. Reddish-pink to reddish-brown in color, with considerable variation in shades. The cuticle is separable, dry, and finely velvety, especially in young specimens. Margin uniform and not overhanging.

Tubes generally adnate, though occasionally forming a partial circle around the stipe; yellow in color, becoming somewhat olive with age, and bluing appreciably upon cutting.

Pores bright yellow and highly conspicuous, round and narrow, barely bluing under pressure.

Stipe robust and thickened in the central region when young, later cylindrical, typically narrower near the pileus and slightly rooting at the base; yellow in color, but usually adorned with a reddish annular zone approximately halfway up, though not always present.

Flesh thick and firm in both the pileus and stipe, yellow in color, bluing with light tones in the pileus, whereas in the stipe it either remains unchanged or turns reddish. Pleasant taste and mild fungal odor.

Habitat:

We have always observed it associated with deciduous forests, fruiting in both summer and autumn. It is an uncommon species, although we encounter it considerably more often than Boletus regius.

Observations:

This mushroom is a fairly good edible, though not reaching the excellence of its look-alike Butyriboletus regius, which has a pink pileus, smooth stipe, and flesh that does not blue upon cutting. It also resembles Butyriboletus appendiculatus, which features a light brown pileus and firm flesh in the stipe.