Sepia bolete or Suede 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 4-12 cm across, hemispherical in young mushrooms, later becoming convex to flat. Color olive-green, yellow-green, ocher-green, brighter when young, paling with age. The surface is velvety and dryish, slightly sticky in damp weather; in old mushrooms it often cracks, with white cracks between the polygons of skin.

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 bright yellow when young, turning yellow-olive with age. The pores are small and angular, and turn blue when pressed — usually, though not always. 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 5-10 cm tall, 1-2 cm thick, cylindrical, often slightly narrowing toward the base. Color yellow-ocher with fine lengthwise reddish-brown scales forming a net — a characteristic feature of the species among the boletes. No ring.

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 meaty, pale yellow, rusty in the lower part of the stem. When cut, it changes little: it may turn faintly blue or flush slightly reddish. The smell is faintly mushroomy, with a note of ripe apple. The taste is mild and pleasant.

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

Faint, pleasant and mushroomy, with a fruity (apple) note.