Ghost bolete or Mottled bolete

Cap up to 20 cm (usually 5–10), hemispherical in young mushrooms, then cushion-shaped. White, cream, pale grayish green; with age it may take on an ochre tint. The surface is matte, slightly sticky in wet weather. The skin does not peel.

Cap 5–10 cm, hemispherical in young mushrooms, then cushion-shaped. The surface is dry at first and slightly sticky in damp weather. The color is distinctive — a mouse-gray or dark brown background with scattered elongated light gray, yellowish or cream spots that resemble natural camouflage. The cap skin does not peel off.

Hymenophore tubular, free. Grayish white when young, darkening to gray-brown with age. Pores small, easily separated from the cap flesh. They darken slightly when pressed.

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

Stem up to 15 cm tall, 1–2 cm thick, thinner and more elongated than in the classic birch bolete. White, with white or cream scales — in mature mushrooms the scales are sometimes darker. It may be pale greenish at the base.

Stem 12–18 cm tall, 2–2.5 cm thick, cylindrical or slightly tapering upward. White, with characteristic dark gray or brown fibrous scales — a typical feature of the genus Leccinum. In young mushrooms the scales are lighter, in old ones darker.

Flesh white, firm in young mushrooms, becoming very soft and cottony with age. Does NOT change color when cut (or turns slightly pinkish at the stem base). It softens a lot when cooked.

The flesh is white, firm at first, soft and spongy with age. When cut: it turns pink in the cap, slightly blue in the tubes, and in the stem partly pink, partly green or bluish at the base. This multicolored reaction gave the species its name, “variicolor” (many-colored).

Smell faint, pleasantly mushroomy. Taste mild, not bitter.

Smell faint, pleasantly mushroomy. Taste mild, not bitter.