Summer bolete or Pine bolete

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

Cap 8–20 cm (sometimes up to 30), hemispherical with a whitish margin in young mushrooms, later flattening to cushion-shaped. Color wine-red, dark chestnut-red, darker at the center and reddish toward the edges. The skin is matte, slightly sticky in wet weather and finely fibrous in dry weather. Whitish patches — a bloom of mycelium — are sometimes visible.

Tubes free or notched at the stem. White when young, then yellowish, olive-green in mature mushrooms. Pores small and round. Does NOT turn blue when pressed — a key feature.

Pore surface of tubes, free or notched near the stem. White when young, then yellowish, olive-green in mature mushrooms. Pores small and round. Does NOT turn blue when pressed — a key feature of all four porcini.

Stem 10–25 cm tall, 2–7 cm thick, club-shaped in young mushrooms, cylindrical in adults. Color light brown, cream. The most characteristic feature: the whole stem is covered with a distinct white network — broad, coarse, easy to see (hence the Latin “reticulatus,” meaning “net-like”). This is the main difference from the other porcini.

Stem 8–15 cm tall, 3–7 cm thick, bulbous or club-shaped, hefty. Color brownish red-brown, darker than the cap in the lower part. Along its whole length runs a characteristic net of fine reddish ridges (as in the summer bolete B. reticulatus, but in the pine bolete the net is redder).

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

Flesh white, very dense and heavy, does NOT change color when cut. Wine-red patches are sometimes visible under the cap skin. The texture is dry, with a pleasant resistance when cut. It is less often maggoty than the classic porcini.

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 richly mushroomy, with nutty and resinous notes. Dried, it keeps its aroma better than any other porcini species. The taste is mild, sweetish, not bitter.