Saffron bolete or Red-capped scaber stalk

Cap 5–12 cm, hemispherical in young mushrooms, then cushion-shaped. Color yellow-brown, ocher-yellow, darkening to brown with age. The surface is matte, dry, slightly sticky in wet weather. In mature mushrooms it may crack finely.

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.

Hymenophore tubular, with a slight notch near the stem. Yellow when young, olive-yellow to brown in mature mushrooms. Pores small, angular, quickly darkening to gray-violet 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 6–15 cm tall, 1.5–3 cm thick, cylindrical, sometimes bulbous at the base. Yellow-brown, covered with characteristic dense grayish-brown scales — a typical feature of the genus Leccinellum.

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.

Flesh bright yellow in young mushrooms. When cut it darkens DRAMATICALLY: within a few seconds it turns yellow, after a minute gray-violet, after a few minutes almost black. This is a normal reaction of the species, not toxicity.

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. Taste mild, without bitterness.

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.