How to identify Butter Bolete

To correctly identify Butter Bolete (Butyriboletus appendiculatus), check each of these features in order. Misidentification is the most common cause of mushroom poisoning, so cross-reference multiple sources.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Cap

   Shape, color, surface texture, and diameter.

   The cap is typically 5-15 cm in diameter, convex when young, becoming more flattened with age. The color ranges from yellow to brownish-yellow, and the surface is smooth and dry.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   Unlike gilled mushrooms, boletes have pores. The pores of Butyriboletus appendiculatus are yellow, small, and round. They stain blue when bruised.

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   The stem is stout, 5-12 cm long and 1-4 cm thick, usually yellow, and may have a fine reticulated pattern, especially near the top.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   The flesh is yellow, sometimes staining blue when cut or bruised, especially in the cap.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   The fruiting body of Butyriboletus appendiculatus is a typical bolete shape, with a cap and a central stem.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   This mushroom is found in deciduous forests, particularly under oak and beech trees. It is a mycorrhizal fungus.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Smooth, dry

Growth Form

Mycorrhizal

Spore Print

Olive-brown

Body color

Yellow to brownish-yellow

Odor

Fruity or mushroomy

Flesh bruises

Sometimes blue

Height

5-12 cm

Cap Diameter

5-15 cm

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: Pores, not gills
• Stem shape: Stout, cylindrical
• Stem surface: Smooth or reticulated
• Ring: Absent
• Stem cross-section: Solid

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