Sepia bolete or Red cracking bolete

Cap up to 8 cm, flat-convex in young mushrooms; in mature ones often with distinctive radial and crosswise cracks on the surface (like the red cracking bolete). The color varies: beige, dull brown, olive, sometimes with a pinkish tint in the cracks. Surface matte, finely fibrous.

Cap 3-10 cm across, hemispherical in young mushrooms, later becoming convex to flat. Color chestnut-brown to olive-brown, darker when young. The surface is velvety; in old mushrooms it typically cracks into polygons with a distinct pinkish-red layer in the cracks — this is the most reliable diagnostic feature of the species. In damp weather it's slightly sticky.

The pore surface is tubular, with a small notch near the stem. Lemon yellow, olive brown in mature ones. Pores small, angular, 0.2–0.5 mm. They quickly turn blue when pressed.

The hymenophore is made of tubes attached to the stem. Color yellow when young, turning yellow-olive with age. The pores are small and stain strongly blue when pressed. Spore print olive-brown.

Stem 3–8 cm tall, 0.5–1.5 cm thick, cylindrical, fragile. Olive yellow at the top, with reddish or orange spots or zones lower down. Darkens to brown at the base.

Stem 5-8 cm tall, 0.8-1.5 cm thick, cylindrical, often thickened toward the base. Color yellow at the top, with a characteristic lengthwise pinkish-red band or zone in the lower half. When cut, it turns blue.

The flesh is pale lemon yellow in the cap and chrome yellow in the upper stem. It turns blue when cut, especially in the tubes and the stem — this is a normal reaction. The texture is watery, cottony in mature ones.

The flesh is yellow in the cap, soft and watery, and in the lower part of the stem has a pinkish-red zone. When cut, it turns blue (within 30-60 sec). The smell is faintly mushroomy.

The smell is faint, mushroomy, with no distinct notes. The taste is mild, neutral and watery.

Faint, pleasant and mushroomy, with no distinct notes.