Foxy bolete or Leccinum percandidum

Cap 8–15 cm, hemispherical in young mushrooms, then cushion-shaped, almost flat in old ones. The color is dark — from brownish crimson to dark chestnut or blood-cherry red. The surface is matte and velvety, slightly rough in dry weather, barely tacky in damp weather. The cap skin does not peel off.

Cap 8–18 cm, hemispherical in young mushrooms, then cushion-shaped, almost flat in old ones. White, cream, grayish; with age it may take on ochre or yellowish tints. The surface is matte, slightly sticky in wet weather and dry and roughish in dry weather. The skin does not peel.

The hymenophore is tubular, free, with a small notch near the stem. White when young, then grayish cream, grayish brown in mature mushrooms. The pores are small and round. They darken slightly when pressed.

Hymenophore tubular, free, with a notch near the stem. White when young, then grayish cream, grayish brown in mature mushrooms. Pores small, finely rounded.

Stem 8–15 cm tall, 2–4 cm thick, cylindrical, slightly bulbous at the base. Whitish or cream, covered along its entire length with characteristic greyish-black scales (dark even in young mushrooms) — darker than those of the classic red-capped scaber stalk. The base of the stem sometimes has a bluish-green tinge.

Stem massive, 10–20 cm tall, 3–5 cm thick, club-shaped in young mushrooms, cylindrical in old ones. White or grayish cream, covered with characteristic dense grayish or brownish fibrous scales — gray to blackish even in young mushrooms.

The flesh is white and very firm; when cut it slowly turns greyish or blackish with a violet tinge, less strongly than in other red-capped scaber stalks. The stem base sometimes turns bluish. The texture is meaty, with a pleasant resistance under the knife. It gets wormy less often than the classic red-capped scaber stalk.

Flesh white, very dense and heavy. When cut, it first turns pinkish, then gray and black, with a violet tint in the cap and upper stem. At the stem base the flesh often turns blue or blue-green. The texture is fibrous and meaty.

Smell faint, pleasantly mushroomy, with no distinct notes. Taste mild, not bitter.

Smell rich and mushroomy, pleasant. Taste mild, not bitter. The dried mushroom has a strong "earthy" aroma.