Summer bolete or Lurid bolete

Cap 8–25 cm (sometimes up to 30), hemispherical when young, then cushion-shaped, almost flat in old mushrooms. Warm bronze-brown or light brown, darker in the center. The surface is matte and slightly tacky in wet weather. A telltale feature: in mature mushrooms the cap becomes covered with a fine network of cracks, a “crackled” look like fired clay.

The cap is large and fleshy, 8 to 20 centimeters across, hemispherical when young and becoming convex and cushion-shaped with age. The surface is dry, finely velvety or felty to the touch, and slightly greasy and shiny in wet weather. The color is warm and variable, from olive-yellowish and gray-brown to ocher-brown and clay, often with a pinkish sheen. When pressed, the cap darkens and develops blue-green spots, an instant giveaway for this mushroom.

Tubes free or notched at the stem; white when young, then yellowish, olive-green when mature. Pores small and round. They do NOT turn blue when pressed — a key feature.

Under the cap are tubes with bright, rich orange-red or blood-red pores that contrast sharply with the yellowish-olive tubes. Those red pores put the lurid bolete among the "dangerous-looking" boletes. At the slightest touch the pores turn blue at once, flooding with dark blue. A characteristic feature you can see with the naked eye is a thin reddish layer between the tubes and the cap flesh, visible when you cut the mushroom lengthwise.

Stem 10–25 cm tall, 2–7 cm thick, club-shaped when young, cylindrical when mature. Light brown or cream. The most distinctive feature: the whole stem is covered with a clear white network, broad, coarse and easy to see (hence the Latin “reticulatus,” meaning “net-like”). This is the main difference from the other porcini.

The stem is sturdy and massive, 8 to 15 centimeters tall, noticeably thickened or club-shaped and swollen at the base. Its main diagnostic feature is a distinct net: a raised reddish net stands out clearly against a yellow-orange background and covers almost the entire stem. This red net reliably separates the lurid bolete from the scarletina bolete, whose stem has separate dots rather than a net. The stem quickly turns blue when touched. There is no ring and no volva.

Flesh white and dense, does NOT change color when cut. Fibrous, with a pleasant resistance under the knife. It gets maggoty about as often as the classic porcini, and a little less readily than the bronze bolete.

The flesh is thick and dense, lemon yellow when freshly cut and often wine-reddish near the base of the stem. Its most striking trait is fast, vivid bluing: as soon as you cut the mushroom, the flesh floods with deep dark blue within seconds. This dramatic reaction is typical of the species and helps with identification. Raw flesh tastes mild, with no bitterness, but you absolutely should not taste it raw, because the uncooked mushroom is toxic.

Smell rich and mushroomy, with nutty notes, stronger in young mushrooms. Taste mild, slightly sweet, not bitter. Dried, it keeps its aroma well.

The smell is faint, pleasant and gently mushroomy, sometimes with a barely noticeable fruity note. Nothing in the aroma warns you, and it may even seem appealing, so don't rely on it for identification: the main guides remain the red pores, the red net on the stem and the rapid bluing of the flesh.