Foxy bolete or Red-capped scaber stalk

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 6–20 cm across, spherical in young mushrooms, then cushion-shaped. The surface is finely felted or slightly leathery, dry. The color is vivid — brick-red, orange or ginger; in shady spots it may be duller.

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.

The hymenophore has tubes. Pores small, round, white at first, then turning brownish. When pressed, the pores turn brownish — this is a normal reaction and does not indicate danger.

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 8–20 cm tall, 2–4 cm thick, firm, club-shaped at the bottom, cylindrical in the upper part. The surface is white, covered with scales and fibres: reddish, sometimes whitish, in young mushrooms, turning red-brown to blackish with age. The stem base often shows a blue tint, especially where it has been handled. The stem is very hard, almost woody in mature 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 firm, white; when cut it darkens to violet-grey, grey and eventually almost black; only the stem base often turns blue-green. The darkening also happens during cooking. The taste is pleasant, meaty. In mature mushrooms the stem is very fibrous.

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

Smell faint, pleasant, mushroomy, slightly earthy. When fried, the aroma becomes richer and more appetizing. Compared with porcini, the red-capped scaber stalk's smell is less pronounced, but quite pleasant.