Bitter Bolete
Tylopilus felleus, commonly known as the bitter bolete or the bitter tylopilus, is a fungus of the bolete family. French mycologist Pierre Bulliard described this species as Boletus felleus in 1788 before it was transferred into the new genus Tylopilus.
Scientific Name – Boletus / Tylopilus felleus
Common Names:
Bitter Bolete (EN), Cap Tyllog Chwerw (CY), Goryczak Żółciowy (PL), EpeÃzű Tinóru (HU)
Please note that each and every mushroom you come across may vary in appearance to these photos.
Cap
7-10 cm. Pale to dark brown. Starting convex with a suede like covering but flattening out, losing any small hairs and sometimes splitting with age.
Pores
Starts with white, sponge like pores that develop a pink tinge around the pore openings and will bruise pink when damaged eventually turning brown.
Stem
7-10 cm long, 2-3 cm diameter. Off white to tan with a darker net like pattern or reticulation, particularly towards the top of the stem. The base is usually wider than the top.
Flesh
White and unchanging sometimes with a pink flush.
Habitat
Mixed woodland, more often with broadleaf trees but will grow with coniferous trees.
Possible Confusion
Can look very like a Penny Bun (Boletus edulis), pictured, or Summer Bolete (Boletus reticulatus) but the reticulation on the stem is dark on a lighter background for the Bitter Bolete and light on a slightly darker background for the Penny Bun and Summer Bolete and the pores of the Penny Bun and Summer Bolete do not bruise to a pink colour like the Bitter Bolete.
Other Facts
A pink flush to the pore openings betrays the identity of this inedible Cep look-alike, which is very bitter indeed (and cooking only seems to enhance the bitter taste). If you gather Boletus edulis or other boletes for eating, it is well worth getting to know how to distinguish the Bitter Bolete from other brown-capped species that have reticulated (netted) stems. Accidentally including this imposter in a meal guarantees that it will be inedible to anyone who still has any taste buds.
