Red Cracking Bolete - Xerocomellus chrysenteron
Main features
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Fruits Summer to Autumn
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Found individually or in small groups
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Grows in association with Beech and conifers
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Very mild smell
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Cap surface starts of with velvety hairs and is almost black
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As cap ages, the skin cracks to reveal reddish flesh beneath
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Cap is a flat dome-shape and 3-10cm wide
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The cylindrical stem is pale yellow with dotted red streaks or areas
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Lemon yellow pore surface turn dirty yellow with age
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Pores of older specimens bruise slowly blue-green
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Stem height is 4-8cm and width 1-1.5cm
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Has no stem ring/skirt
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Yellow flesh has a hardly noticeable change when bruised but may slightly blue
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Spore print is olive brown
Red Cracking Bolete - Xerocomellus chrysenteron
Edible mushroom - advanced
Other common names: Red Cracked Bolete, Red Crack Bolete
Scientific name meaning: Xero is from the Greek Xer, meaning dry. Chrysenteron is from the Greek words Chrysos, meaning gold, and Enteron, meaning the bowels or innards
Season - when will I find it? From Summer to Autumn
Habitat - where will I find it? Underneath Beech or coniferous tress
Description - what does it look like?
Growth: The Red Cracking Bolete is mycorrhizal, growing in association with Beech and coniferous trees. It can be found individually or in small groups
Cap: Starting off dark born, almost black, it is domed and covered in fine velvety hairs. The cap cap reach 3-10cm. As it ages, the surface skin cracks and reddish flesh can be seen through the cracks
Pores: The pore surface and tubes are lemon yellow becoming dirty yellow with age. In older specimens the pore surface turns slowly blue-green when damaged
Flesh: Yellow, with hardly noticeable blue colour change when damaged
Stem: Around 4-8cm tall and 1-1.5cm wide, the yellow stem has redd dotted streaks or areas. It has no ring, or skirt
Smell: Mild
Spore colour: Olive brown
Possible lookalikes As this mushroom has red on it, it does not pass the novice test (red and blue) for boletes. It could be easily confused with the Suede Bolete (Xerocomus submentosus) or Blue Foot Bolete (Xerocomellus cisalpinus) but these are also edible, the latter with blue bruising when damaged
Use as a food Must be cooked but has a poor flavour and texture. Used mostly to bulk out a mushroom mix
Use in herbal medicine None known
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner
Hazards None known
Importance to other species Slugs and snails often eat these mushrooms. They also provide a food sources for the larvae of many fly species
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!