About this fungus
Bovine Bolete is a fungus in the Suillaceae family. Its habitat and field characteristics are summarised below.
A soft tawny to orange-brown bolete with a moist or slightly sticky cap, coarse pores and a ringless stem, often in groups beneath pines.
What to check
The underside has unusually large, angular and often compound pores that become olive-yellow to grey-green and may darken slightly when bruised. The tubes run a little down the stem. Confirm a smooth ringless stem, pale flesh that changes little when cut, and a nearby pine host.
Lookalikes
Suillus granulatus has finer pores and may show milky droplets when fresh. Suillus variegatus has a drier, more granular cap and smaller pores. Other regional Suillus species require attention to cap surface, pore size, stem dots, veil remnants and pine host.
Habitat and range
Mycorrhizal with pines, especially Scots pine and other two-needle pines, on acidic or sandy soil in conifer woodland, plantations and heathland.
Food safety
Edible.
Use this profile to learn what to examine and compare, not as proof that a mushroom is safe to eat. Check the whole specimen and every important lookalike before reaching an identification.
Photographs
Jürgen Endres / CC BY-SA 3.0
James Lindsey / CC BY-SA 3.0Species to compare
Similar mushrooms to compare against: