How to identify false boletus. Photo of gall fungus and description

Some mushroom pickers mistakenly consider boletus and boletus to be simply separate species of mushrooms, although in fact, under these names, entire groups of species are united in the genus Obabok (Leccinum). Although each group has its own characteristics, the characteristics common to both of them sometimes confuse newcomers. Firstly, in Latin the name of both mushrooms sounds the same - Leccinum, although in Russian it can be translated both as boletus and boletus. Secondly, both of them are popularly called “blackening” (“black”) mushrooms, although few people bother to clarify that boletus mushrooms turn black immediately after the cut, and boletus mushrooms turn black already during processing (drying, cooking, salting). And thirdly, the appearance of these and other mushrooms has the most noticeable differences already in mature age, and young boletus mushrooms are often mistaken by mushroom pickers for young boletus mushrooms.

It is interesting that it is boletus mushrooms that are mistakenly called boletuses, and not vice versa. The fact is that the former usually form mycorrhiza with birch (less often with hornbeam and beech), so even in a mixed forest they are found mainly under birches, while the latter can grow under coniferous trees and under many deciduous trees, including birches. To distinguish between these mushrooms, people usually pay attention to the color of the cap: if its shade is more red (orange-yellow), it means a boletus mushroom, and if it is gray (gray-brown), it means a boletus mushroom. However, without taking into account other characteristics, both of them often fall under this characteristic: both the common boletus (Leccinum scabrum) and the red boletus can boast of a similar brownish-brick color of the caps, as well as the formation of mycorrhiza with birch. And white boletus and white boletus (Leccinum holopus) with their white-cream caps without additional features are not only difficult to distinguish in at a young age, but generally do not fall under such a “color” definition of species.

A young boletus is very similar in appearance to a typical boletus: the cap of a regular hemispherical shape is “put on” a short (from 5 cm) strong cylindrical stalk, densely covered with dark longitudinal scales (not a mesh). At favorable conditions The mushroom grows very actively - up to 3 - 4 cm per day - and after 6 - 7 days it is considered ripe. Its leg, like that of the boletus, quickly lengthens to 15 - 18 cm, but is inferior in diameter (no more than 3 - 4 cm), has a slight expansion towards the base and is often curved towards better lighting. The dome-shaped or cushion-shaped (in maturity) boletus cap rarely grows more than 15 - 18 cm in diameter, has a white (in young specimens) tubular layer in the lower part, which takes on a dirty gray tint and noticeably protrudes in old mushrooms. Despite the fact that almost all boletus plants form mycorrhiza only with birch, depending on the place of growth, their caps can differ greatly in both color and surface texture - they can be either smooth and dry, or slightly velvety or moist to the touch. What all boletus mushrooms have in common, however, is that their flesh has best properties only at a young age, because in old mushrooms it becomes loose and watery, noticeably loses its taste characteristics and quickly deteriorates in places where it is touched.

To be honest, the boletus can be considered a rather successful twin of the boletus (false boletus). If we take into account that among boletuses, as well as among boletus, inedible, conditionally edible and poisonous species no, then the first ones, collected instead of the second ones during " quiet hunt", in any case, will not pose a serious danger. Some mushroom pickers consider boletus mushrooms to be even more “worthy of attention” mushrooms, despite the fact that they, like almost all boletus mushrooms, are also included in the second category nutritional value. The reason for such “personal hostility” often lies in the fact that, compared to boletus mushrooms, boletus mushrooms have less dense, watery flesh, which even when fried does not become crispy (rather boiled), and whole mushrooms often fall apart during heat treatment or their tubular layer peels off . When pickled, boletus mushrooms (unlike boletus mushrooms) also do not have a special taste, but rather serve as a good “filler” that absorbs well the flavor nuances of other mushrooms and spices. A significant drawback of these mushrooms is their too rapid “aging”, because even in slightly overgrown boletus mushrooms, the flesh in the stems becomes hard and fibrous, and in the caps it becomes watery-flabby.

Considering that almost all representatives of the Obabok genus are edible and have a set of characteristics that are not typical for poisonous mushrooms signs (a porous spongy layer, scales on the stem and the absence of a ring), some mushroom pickers do not bother themselves with a serious study of the differences between the species of boletus or aspen boletus, limiting themselves to knowledge common features, by which the first mushrooms can be distinguished from the second. One of the most reliable differences is the popular names: if the boletus can also be called the red mushroom (red mushroom), then the boletus also appears as the birch boletus, gray mushroom, blackie, little guy or grandma. Please note: despite common name kind, only boletus mushrooms are usually called obabki. As noted above, one of the signs (although not for all species) can be considered the shade of the cap (gray for boletuses and red-brown for aspen boletuses). But the most accurate characteristic that can be used to identify even young mushrooms that differ little in appearance is the change in color of the flesh on the cut (fracture). If in most boletuses it turns blue and quickly turns black (the exception is pine and colored-legged boletus), then in most boletuses it either turns slightly pink or does not change color at all (depending on the type of mushroom).

If we talk about the taste of boletus mushrooms, the least tasty can be considered the marsh boletus (Leccinum chioneum), included in the third category of nutritional value. It is popularly nicknamed “sloop” for its very watery (even in dry weather) cap flesh and its thin, often curved stem, covered with light gray or white scales. This mushroom grows, as the name suggests, in damp, swampy birch and mixed forests with moss litter, on sphagnum bogs. The marsh species with its large (up to 15 cm) sandy-ochre cap is often confused with a false relative growing in the same places - white boletus (Leccinum holopus), distinguished by an even paler (pale pink) color and modest (up to 8 cm) size hats. Mushroom pickers take both types as one, since they are characterized by approximately the same properties of the pulp: it does not change color when cut, does not have a special taste, and spoils very quickly after collection. It is recommended to use young specimens of such watery boletus mushrooms only for boiling or frying, since during pickling they boil down too much/fall apart, and drying them is a complete pain.

Along the edges of peat bogs and shallow swamps, in the damp tundra, among shrubby and young woody birch species, pink boletus (Leccinum oxydabile) and multi-colored boletus (Leccinum variicolor) are also found, which are often mistaken for one species by mushroom pickers. Despite the “dubious” places of growth (swamps), these mushrooms not only have a good taste and dense flesh, but also look little like other boletus mushrooms - they often have dense compact caps and thick legs, like boletuses. Common to both species is the characteristic marbled pattern on the slightly velvety (slimy in wet weather) caps and the change white pulp to pale pink. And the main difference is the shade of this pattern and the scales on the legs: in the pinking one it is brown-brown with light streaks, and in the multi-colored one it is closer to mouse-gray with white splashes.

The classic common boletus (Leccinum scabrum) grows on relatively dry soils, where it forms mycorrhiza with birch, and has a dry, large (up to 15 cm in diameter) cushion-shaped cap, which in wet weather is also covered with mucus. The color of the cap, depending on the growing conditions, can vary from light gray to dark brown-brown. The pulp of this species does not change color when cut or turns very slightly pink and has a pleasant “mushroom” taste and smell.

Please note: the above listed fungi form mycorrhiza only with birch and are the most common. But among boletus mushrooms there are more rare species, growing under others deciduous trees- oak, beech, aspen and even poplar. Unlike birch varieties, these mushrooms have olive-brown or dark gray (almost black) velvety caps, which often wrinkle with age, and they change color differently when cut. Thus, growing in beech and hornbeam forests, the gray boletus or hornbeam (Leccinum carpini) first turns pink, and then gradually turns gray and, ultimately, turns black. Stiff boletus (Leccinum duriusculum), which forms mycorrhiza with poplar and aspen, looks very variable when cut: pink in the cap, red in the upper part of the stem, and gray-green at the base, which also gradually gives way to black. By the way, the ash-gray boletus (Leccinum leucophaeum), which grows exclusively under birch trees, looks similar when cut. The checkerboard boletus (Leccinum tesselatum) at the break is very similar to the boletus - at first it turns pink, and then becomes purple and also black. Unlike other varieties, this mushroom forms mycorrhiza with oak and has a relatively thick club-shaped stalk.

It is precisely these mushrooms, growing in places “unusual” for boletus mushrooms, that can inadvertently be confused with the false poisonous satanic mushroom (Boletus satanas). There is this one dangerous mushroom, as a rule, in oak and deciduous forests next to hornbeams and lindens. In adulthood, it can hardly be mistaken for a boletus - satanic mushroom has a powerful leg covered with a bright red mesh layer (like a white one), and a repulsive smell of rotten onions. However, young specimens can sometimes be identified only by a change in the color of the flesh, which within a few minutes turns from white-yellow to deep purple.

Less dangerous false double boletus is the bitterling - gall mushroom (Tylopilus felleus). Outwardly, it more closely resembles boletus, although at a young age it can be mistaken for boletus, and grows more often in coniferous or mixed plantings with abundant coniferous litter. What the bitterling has in common with boletus is a slight pinking of the flesh on the cut, but this mushroom can still be distinguished by its pink tubular layer (in boletus it is white-gray), a mesh pattern on the stem and a very bitter taste, which not only does not disappear with any processing , and even intensifies. When determining the authenticity of mushrooms, it is also useful to pay attention to the places of growth: in contrast to boletus clinging to light edges and clearings, bitterling usually “hides” in shady coniferous forests, near ditches, around stumps, etc. The gall mushroom is considered less dangerous than the satanic mushroom - in encyclopedias it appears as inedible, but not poisonous, so fatal poisoning is unlikely. However, regular consumption of bittersweet (even in small quantity) is dangerous for liver dysfunction, serious intoxication of the body and even cirrhosis.

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The mushroom kingdom is one of the most extensive on the planet, and its representatives are found literally everywhere. Many types of mushrooms have long been used by humans in the food and economic spheres, as well as in medicine. A lot of people, keen on “silent hunting,” go for mushrooms in the fall. But we must remember that poisonous mushrooms often disguised as good. When going into the forest, you need to know what boletus and its other edible cousins look like.

Biological features

The boletus belongs to the spongy cap mushrooms genus Leccinum, distinctive feature of which is a porous hymenophore. Other names for this mushroom are birch or obabok. The first boletuses grow in early summer, and they can be collected until late autumn.

The basis of the body of birch mushrooms, like all other mushrooms, is mycelium (otherwise - mycelium) - a system of thin branched threads that fit tightly together in the body of the mushroom.

The main part of the mycelium is located in fallen and rotted leaves, rotten wood or other organic substrate. Usually the mycelium grows quite widely, since it is through it that the fungus receives nutrients. The boletus mycelium is perennial, it is quite well adapted to changes in environment and can tolerate both frost and drought. Under favorable conditions, the mycelium forms fruiting bodies, which are called mushrooms. The fruiting body of the birch tree has the following structure:

The cap is large and matte, its color varies from white or light brown to gray or almost black (depending on the variety and growing conditions). It is smooth or velvety felt to the touch. The cap of young mushrooms is dome-shaped, while that of old mushrooms is spread out.
The leg has a cylindrical shape, in some species it thickens downward. Usually covered with scales, but sometimes fibrous. In a number of varieties, the stem can bend as it grows, turning the mushroom towards the sun.
The hymenophore contains tubes of different diameters, the color of which can be white, gray or yellow. With age, the tubes darken.
The pulp is white; in some mushrooms it is strong, in others it is loose. When cut, it may take on a dark blue, pink or red tint. At culinary processing turns black.
The spores are found in a spore powder that is yellow, yellow-brown or dark brown in color.

Unlike the common boletus, its counterpart has a very pronounced bitter taste, for this reason false boob Even worms don't eat. If the adult mushroom found does not have wormholes or signs of damage by slugs, it is worth taking a closer look at it. First you need to consider the leg. In the true boletus it is covered with scales, while in the false boletus it has a pattern resembling a net.

Then comes the turn of the cap - in the gall mushroom it can have quite aggressive intense brown or brick shades. If the color of the cap contains green, you cannot take such a mushroom, since a true boletus simply does not have a cap of this color. When doubts arise about a mushroom found in the forest, it is better not to take it into the basket at all.

Sponge mushrooms are considered the most delicious; they are the ones who most often end up main goal quiet hunt. Among especially valuable representatives In the third kingdom, a mushroom such as the common boletus stands out. In terms of its nutritional qualities, it is equal to white and has a pleasant “mushroom” taste and aroma. Every mushroom picker should know exactly what boletus looks like, so as not to confuse it with its inedible double.

Let's take a closer look at the description of the common boletus, which belongs to the sponge mushrooms.

Common boletus (Leccinum scabrum) belongs to the class Agaricomycetes, family Boletaceae. Other common names: birch grass, blackhead, obabok, common obabok.

The cap is always convex (initially hemispherical, then cushion-shaped), medium in size (from 6 to 15 cm in diameter), from gray-brown to brown, even in color. The skin is smooth, silky, slightly overhanging the edge of the cap.
Hymenophore. The tubes are light, then turn gray and are easily separated from the cap.
The stem is white to gray in color, club-shaped in young specimens, then cylindrical with a thickening at the base. Elongated (from 10 to 20 cm in height), not massive (diameter from 1 to 3 cm), with a clear pattern on the entire surface (gray, brown, sometimes black scales).
The pulp is whitish and does not change color when cut; in the cap it is looser, in the stem it is dense and fibrous. Has a pleasant smell.

All representatives of the boletus group are edible.

Species diversity and description

Boletus is a collective name for a number of mushrooms of the genus Leccinum. Excellent growing conditions have led to the fact that boletus species have minor external differences. It is important to know what a particular boletus mushroom looks like in order to be able to distinguish it from other mushrooms.

Swamp (Leccinum holopus)

The marsh boletus, or white boletus, got its name from its place of growth. This mushroom is noticeably different from other boletus mushrooms. The cap is on average from 3 to 10 cm in diameter, but can reach 16 cm. The convex cushion-shaped shape is characteristic only of young mushrooms; with age it becomes flat. The surface is smooth, sometimes wrinkled. The cap is painted in a color uncharacteristic for this group: whitish-cream or grayish with a bluish or greenish tint.

The leg is thin (1-3 cm), elongated (from 5 to 15 cm), whitish or grayish in color, covered with scales of the same color. The scales turn brown only after the mushroom ages and dries out; It is better not to collect such specimens.

The tubular layer is first white, then dirty grayish in color. The pulp is watery, white with a slight greenish tint; the stalk is denser, at the base its color becomes bluish-greenish. Does not change color upon contact with air.

Harsh (Leccinum duriusculum)

The cap is rarely more than 15 cm. The shape is hemispherical, later - cushion-shaped, convex. Young mushrooms have a silky, even pubescent skin, which later becomes smooth; V rainy weather becomes slimy. Depending on the conditions, the color can vary from light gray-brown, sometimes with a purple tint, to brownish-red or ocher-brown.

The tubes are light, creamy, then yellowish or grayish. When pressed, olive-brown marks remain.

The leg is cylindrical, rarely pointed at the base; covered with brownish scales that form a mesh pattern. Unevenly colored: creamy above, brownish below. The flesh in the cap is dense, white, and turns red where it is cut. In the leg it is denser, somewhat harsh; yellowish-green at the base, lighter above. The smell is weak.

Gray (hornbeam) (Leccinum carpini)

This mushroom is most similar to common boletus. The cap is hemispherical, eventually cushion-shaped, up to 8 cm in diameter, rarely up to 14 cm; in young specimens the edge is bent, straightening out with age. The surface is dry, velvety, slightly grainy; painted in brownish-gray tones. In rainy weather the color darkens to olive-brown.

The leg is cylindrical, quite thin (up to 4 cm), long (from 5 to 13 cm); in the lower part it has a club-shaped thickening. The color is uneven: brownish at first, grayish closer to the cap. Its entire surface is covered with whitish scales, which turn yellow over time, then acquire a dark brown tint.

The tubular layer is watery, freely separated from the pulp, whitish or sandy-gray in color; a notch is visible in the area of contact with the leg. The pulp is white: soft in the cap and fibrous in the stem; in old mushrooms it becomes harsh. In air it changes color first to pinkish-violet, then darkens almost to black.

Black (Leccinum scabrum)

The black boletus has a small (5-9 cm) dark brown or almost black cap. The skin cracks with age, partially exposing the flesh. The leg is proportional, cylindrical, white, covered with small dark scales. The tubes are brownish-gray. The pulp is white, darkens at the break.

Pinkish (Leccinum roseofractum)

The pink boletus has a convex, cushion-shaped cap of medium size (up to 15 cm) with age. The skin is gray-brown, pinkish-brown, maybe darker, even dark brown; dry.

The leg is thin, long, cylindrical, with a thickening at the base in young specimens; sometimes curves, white with brownish scales, which become almost black with age. The tubular layer is light, becoming dirty gray with age. The pulp is dense. This boletus turns pink when cut.

Spreading

The boletus mushroom is widespread. It can be found in Europe, Asia, and America; This representative of the third kingdom successfully mastered even the climate of the tundra. Prefers light mixed or deciduous forests with the obligatory presence of birches. It forms mycorrhiza with birches, and selects young trees. It grows especially well in mixed coniferous forests with young birch forests.

Fruiting begins in July and lasts until late autumn. If the summer is not too dry, single specimens can be found as early as the end of June. Feature boletus mushrooms - massive, industrial returns.

The fruiting bodies germinate together, filling large areas; the intensity of germination does not decrease after harvesting the first crops. In this case, the mushroom may completely disappear for a long time and for no apparent reason, and after a “break” return with the same industrial volume.

Where to look and how to collect

If you set out to find boletus trees, examine young birch forests or areas interspersed with birch trees. You can ignore dark, overgrown places - boletus mushrooms are demanding of light. Despite this, only single specimens are found on the edges. The boletus grows en masse only in well-lit clearings deep in the forest.

Young fruiting bodies can hide under a layer of litter, forming the “tubercle” known to all mushroom pickers. The search is greatly facilitated by a straight, long stick, with the help of which the bedding is moved apart in “suspicious” places. The mushroom can be cut or twisted. There is no clear opinion, but experienced mushroom pickers advise carefully cutting off the stem so as not to damage the mycelium. In boletus mushrooms, at a certain age, the tubular layer darkens and becomes loose; The pulp remains dense for some time. If you find such a mushroom, separate the hymenophore and leave it in the forest: the spores that ripen in it will give rise to new myceliums.

Mushroom look-alikes

The common boletus has several lookalikes. The most dangerous of them is gall fungus. It refers to inedible mushrooms and can cause food poisoning. You can distinguish false boletus by the following characteristics:

The size of the cap and stem are larger, the mushroom gives the impression of being massive;
the leg is colored in clearly defined pinkish or reddish tones;
on the leg there is a mesh pattern reminiscent of a vascular network;
hymenophore gray-pinkish;
the flesh at the cut site turns pink;
all mushrooms, even old ones, show no signs of damage by insects;
the mushroom grows in a ditch, near a stump, and in other shaded places.

Another mushroom similar to boletus is boletus. This mushroom belongs to the same genus, is edible, processed and prepared using similar technology. Boletus can form mycorrhiza with various coniferous and deciduous trees, including birch, and therefore can be found in birch forests, like boletus.

The cap is brown, but while the boletus has grayish shades mixed into the main color, the boletus has reddish, orange-yellow shades. But this sign is quite conditional. Thus, the marsh boletus (Leccinum holopus) and the white boletus (Leccinum percandidum) are painted the same white-cream colors. They are similar, but they are strikingly different from other representatives of their groups. The stem of boletuses is thicker, and a characteristic bluish color appears on the cut. The flesh of boletus is denser, so they are valued even more. At heat treatment it doesn't fall apart, it becomes crispy. Most mushroom pickers, however, do not strive for precise definition: Sponge mushrooms are mostly edible and have high nutritional qualities, so they take “everything in a row.”

Primary processing and preparation

After collecting boletus mushrooms, you need to start processing as quickly as possible (no longer than 12 hours). If unpeeled, these mushrooms quickly deteriorate. If they grew in a moss-covered area, it is enough to wash and clean the cap and base of the stem from foreign particles. If the mushrooms were collected on sandy soils, they are washed several times; It is better to scrape the surface with a knife.

Then the fruiting body is cut, the places of the cuts are carefully examined for passages left by the worms. If any, damaged areas are cut off. It is better to throw away mushrooms that are too damaged. The tubular layer of old mushrooms is removed.

After cleaning, the mushrooms are boiled in two waters. In the first - to get rid of debris that could not be reached during cleaning. When the water boils, the mushrooms will release quite a lot of foam; you should have a slotted spoon at hand. Remove the foam and drain the contents of the pan into a colander. Transfer the mushrooms into a clean saucepan and pour clean water, add salt and boil for 20 minutes. The boiled mushrooms are placed in a colander and cooled. In this form they can be left on short time(no more than 2 days) in the refrigerator. If you need to save boiled mushrooms longer, they are placed in freezer. Raw boletus mushrooms cannot be frozen - the process of protein destruction does not stop at subzero temperatures.

Further preparation of boletus mushrooms depends on taste preferences. They can be pickled, salted, used to make soups, or fried.

Nutritional quality. Benefits and harms

Boletus mushrooms belong to the second category of nutritional value. This is a tasty dietary product. Every 100 grams of pulp contains only 31 kcal. At the same time, the composition contains significant quantities of vitamins (B, PP, E, C) and minerals; proteins, including leucine, tyrosine and glutamine. The fibrous pulp acts as a “brush” to cleanse the intestines of toxins.

If you are trying boletus for the first time, start with small portions. In rare cases, it can cause idiosyncrasy. Like any mushroom, it is a heavy product - a single serving should be moderate. There have been no recorded cases of poisoning by this mushroom.

Boletus is a pleasant-tasting mushroom that is easily recognized by its typical appearance. Its tendency to produce mass fruit has made it a favorite of all mushroom pickers. Despite the fact that it does not appear every year, boletus is awaited for fear of missing the peak of the harvest. When collecting, you need to carefully look at each specimen so as not to confuse it with an inedible gall fungus.

Mushroom picking is an incredibly exciting activity, especially if you do it with your whole family or friends. However, despite the simplicity, difficulties often arise. Most often they are associated with the identification of mushrooms. After all, it’s no secret that there are false copies of delicious mushrooms, which, when consumed, turn out to be dangerous to health, and often to human life. One of the most favorite gifts of the forest for any mushroom picker is boletus. Unfortunately, this species also has its own dangerous brother - the false boletus. How to determine whether it is a real mushroom or not?

In order to recognize the false boletus mushroom, you must first decide which mushrooms should be considered real and not hazardous to health? There are a great many of them, they grow mainly under birch trees (which is why they got their name), and their reproduction occurs by mycelium.

Highlight the following types mushrooms:

The common one has a brown cap, the surface of which is covered with a thin layer of mucus. IN good weather and in the light of the sun it is easy to see by its shiny crown. The shape of the cap is round, hemispherical. The pores located below are soft cream or bright white. They become greener as they age.
Harsh chooses exclusively loam or sandy soil. This is usually an area with an abundance of aspens or poplars. The hat is bigger brown, hangs significantly over the tubes.
Gray, or, as it is popularly called, hornbeam (elm boletus), is extremely similar to the ordinary one, but has some differences. For example, its cap is most often small, wrinkled and rich brown in color. The leg can be either straight or curved.
The pinkish one stands out among other species with its brownish-yellowish cap. When cut, the flesh of this mushroom begins to turn pink. They are very easy to confuse with false boletus.
Black is distinguished by a brownish, and in some cases even blackish, color of the cap. The leg is covered with small black scales. This mushroom loves to grow in wetlands.

All boletus mushrooms have excellent taste qualities, ideal for drying, salting, pickling. The value of these mushrooms is their high protein content (more than 30%), vitamins and amino acids. In terms of nutritional value, they are second only to porcini mushrooms.

Identifying a false mushroom

Not every mushroom found under a birch tree is edible. Often even there there is active reproduction of false boletus.

The poisonous brother of the mushroom, so similar to real boletus, a frequent visitor to mixed forests, grows mainly on sandstones. People call it gall because of its special taste properties. Recognize false boletus for inexperienced people often becomes a difficult task, since at first glance they are practically indistinguishable.

The gall mushroom has the same grayish stalk, even the shape and color of the cap is similar to the true boletus mushroom. But when this false double gets into a dish, especially after cooking, its inherent bitterness becomes completely unbearable. Some people may experience serious digestive disorders when consuming it.

The most in a simple way To determine the edibility of mushrooms is as follows: you just need to cut it off from the boletus mycelium and touch the cut with the tip of your tongue. If bitterness is felt, it means that a poisonous fellow has fallen into your hands. However, despite the fact that poisoning can be avoided with this method of testing, doctors do not recommend getting carried away with this diagnostic method. Therefore, it is better to determine by appearance.

Reliable signs of a poisonous mushroom

First, you should carefully examine the collected gifts of the forest. It is noteworthy that in extremely rare cases insects or worms will eat false boletus (due to its specific taste). But wormy specimens are most often true. Also, poisonous mushrooms often grow in places that are completely atypical for boletus: in ditches, in groves, near rotten stumps. Unfortunately, inexperienced mushroom pickers throw out many true boletus mushrooms because of their worminess, mistakenly considering them to be false.

Usually the gall mushroom has a beautiful velvety cap. In a real boletus it will be perfectly smooth and shiny. But one should take into account the fact that the place where the boletus mycelium grows can modify the structure of the cap. And even false mushroom it is often practically no different from the true boletus. However, only its false brother will have a wet hat that loses its shape after being touched.

The false boletus is often a massive mushroom that does not have any veins in the form of tubes. With age, the stem becomes tuberous and the cap becomes saucer-shaped.

Distinctive feature gall fungus are bloody veins on the stalk. The real boletus has a characteristic birch pattern on its surface.

The hat of the false fellow is most often of a poisonous color: from brown to greenish-red. If the color is completely green, then the mushroom should not be eaten. When examining the lower part, you should also pay attention to the color. In the gall subspecies it is light pinkish, while in the true boletus it is milky white. When broken, the cap of a true mushroom does not change its shade, but if it turns pink, then there is a high probability that you have picked up a false boletus mushroom.

Help with mushroom poisoning

There are also situations when even experienced mushroom pickers miss the false boletus mushrooms. In this case, false mushrooms (not only boletus mushrooms, but also porcini mushrooms) turn out to be cooked and are often eaten in big family. Of course, cases of poisoning are incredibly rare, since due to the strong bitterness a person will not eat large number dangerous product. But, nevertheless, there is an opinion that ingested toxins can seriously damage work internal organs or at least cause digestive upset. This is why you should be careful when picking mushrooms.

If you experience nausea, dizziness, heartburn or diarrhea after eating mushrooms, good decision Take the simplest activated carbon (about 5 - 6 tablets). You can also use any absorbents available in your home medicine cabinet.

If the symptoms increase, there is a fever and incessant vomiting, severe abdominal pain, then you should not risk it, you need to immediately call an ambulance. False boletus can be hazardous to health, causing poisoning. Therefore, if serious symptoms appear, you should not delay visiting your doctor.

Conclusion

When going into the forest, we must not forget: every mushroom has its poisonous counterpart. In most cases, distinguishing false boletus from edible ones is not difficult. However, if there are any doubts about the quality of the mushroom, it is better to leave it in the forest, thereby protecting yourself from poisoning.

From about mid-summer until late autumn, armies of mushroom pickers head into the forests to satisfy the instinct of gathering. Many people find a lot of useful things in this activity: clean air, leisurely walks, enjoying nature and the amazing beauty of the forest - these are just a small part of the reasons why people leave comfortable sofas, go out of town or to the village, and there... Big amazing world, which also has its own dangers. These include poisonous mushrooms, more or less successfully masquerading as completely harmless ones. It's about about boletus mushrooms. Solid mushrooms that taste good are eaten fried, boiled, or canned. Unless they... are poisonous!

Definition

Real boletus- not a flashy brownish or grayish mushroom in appearance. It can be of different shades, but usually its cap is white to dark gray. It has a thickened leg at the bottom, white with longitudinal scales of white or dark color (the pattern slightly resembles the color of birch). When cut, the flesh is also white and does not change at the break.

The first boletus trees appear in the first half of summer and grow until late autumn; they usually grow next to birch trees, forming a mutually beneficial symbiosis with them. But you can find this mushroom not only in birch groves, but also in tundras and forest-tundras. It is especially common in the forests of Eurasia, Southern and North America. It is eaten fried, boiled or pickled, and can also be dried for the winter.

False boletus- it is also sometimes called gall fungus. Appearance very similar to its true brother - everything about it successfully imitates real mushroom. The leg is gray and speckled, the cap has a characteristic color and shape. His distinctive feature is an incredibly bitter taste, which is what gives it the name “bilious”. One such mushroom is enough to completely ruin an entire pan of food.

Comparison

A distinctive feature that is found in many false mushrooms– they are not eaten by worms. If your mushroom is very clean, take a closer look at it and make sure it is not false.

First, you should take a closer look at the leg. If it does not have a speckled pattern similar to the coloring of a birch tree, then it is better to avoid such a mushroom. On the false boletus, you will most likely see a pattern of veins that looks like blood vessels.

If the leg does not cause suspicion, we inspect the cap. Its bottom should not be pinkish; a real mushroom will never have such a shade.

What does the hat say?

On top, the cap of the gall fungus has a poisonous brown, brick or greenish-brown color, that is, it almost always has a greenish admixture. This is not the case in real mushrooms.

If the color is not enough for you, then feel the hat. If you feel velvety to the touch, this is a sign of false boletus - you should not pick it. A real mushroom has a smooth cap.

You can break off the cap and look at the break - for a false mushroom it will also be pinkish, and for a real one it will be white.

Real boletus
Gall mushroom (false boletus)

Conclusions website

A real mushroom has a normal taste, but a false one is incredibly bitter.
On the leg of a true boletus there is a pattern similar to that of a birch, and on the false one there is a network of blood vessels.
The bottom of the cap of a real mushroom is light or grayish, while that of a false one is pinkish.
The top of the cap of the true boletus is evenly gray, brownish or dark, while that of the false boletus has a greenish tint or is dirty.
At the break, the real mushroom is white, and the false one is pinkish.
The cap of a real mushroom is smooth to the touch, while the cap of a false mushroom is velvety.
According to information from readers: You can lick the flesh. False boletus has a bitter taste.