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False boletus is a mushroom that is very similar to the real boletus in its external structure, but is not suitable for consumption. This is usually the name given to not just one mushroom, but several varieties, so as not to bring inedible fruiting bodies from the forest, it is necessary to carefully study the false doubles.
Are there false boletuses?
Boletus, aspen, obabok or redhead is considered a unique mushroom, which is almost impossible to confuse with other varieties. His appearance is very recognizable. The redhead has no poisonous counterparts and belongs to the category of the safest.
But at the same time, it is still possible to confuse obabok with inedible fruiting bodies; they do not pose a danger, but they have a very unpleasant taste. There is no specific mushroom with the name “false boletus” in nature. This word is used to describe other mushrooms that have their own names, but are very similar to redhead in external structure.
Varieties of false boletuses
Most often, true aspen mushrooms are confused with several species - the edible boletus mushroom and the inedible gall and pepper mushrooms. In order not to make a mistake when collecting, you need to study false and real boletuses in more detail.
boletus
Contrary to its name, boletus is found not only near birches, but also under other deciduous and even coniferous trees. The same applies to boletus, so it’s really easy to confuse them, especially since they belong to the same genus Obabkov.
The similarity between aspen and birch lies in their structure. The boletus has a strong long leg about 15 cm in length, with a slight narrowing in the upper part, the color of the leg is white and covered with dark scales. The cap of the fruiting body is dense and fleshy, at a young age it is hemispherical, convex, and in an adult it is pillow-like, with a tubular lower surface. According to the color of the cap, the boletus twin is usually light brown or dark brown, brown-yellow, olive-brown.
The main difference between boletus and aspen is that the edible false boletus does not have a reddish tint in the color of its cap. But the real aspen boletus has such a shade; it is not without reason that it is called redhead, it has a much brighter color. Also, the leg of aspen wood is smoother, cylindrical in shape and without narrowing at the top. When cut, the flesh of the false edible counterpart turns slightly pink, and in the real aspen it acquires a bluish color.
Gall mushroom
Another false redhead is the famous bitterling, or gall mushroom, which is very similar in color and structure to several species from the Boletaceae family. It grows in the same places as obabok - in deciduous and coniferous forests, in symbiosis with pines, birches, aspens and other trees, close to the trunks. The double can be found from June to early November, alone and in groups, all this makes it look like the redhead.
Real and false redheads are very similar in appearance. Gorchak also has a wide and dense fleshy cap with a tubular bottom layer; at a young age it is convex, and over time it becomes prostrate and cushion-shaped. The color of the skin on the cap can be yellowish-brown, dark brown, chestnut; the stem of the bitterling is light - from yellowish to light ocher.
You can distinguish bittersweet from real aspen first of all by its stem. In true aspen it is covered with dark small scales that can be easily peeled off with a knife. In the photo of the false boletus mushroom, you can see that the bitterling leg is dotted with a “vascular” mesh, consisting not of scales, but of deep and wide stripes. Usually the double does not have a reddish tint in the color of the cap, and if you cut it in half, it will not turn blue, but turn pink.
Bitterweed is not poisonous and is not hazardous to health. But it cannot be used as food, since its pulp is unbearably bitter. Neither soaking nor boiling eliminates this feature. If it accidentally gets into a soup or roast, bitter green simply spoils the dish and makes it inedible.
Pepper mushroom
This mushroom, similar to boletus, also belongs to the Boletaceae family, but is inedible. It is similar to obabok in its structure and color. The pepper mushroom is characterized by a low cylindrical stalk, straight or slightly curved. The cap, cushion-shaped in adults and convex in young fruiting bodies, is copper-red, dark orange or reddish-brown. Its surface is smooth, dry and slightly velvety, and the underside is covered with small rusty-brown tubes.
Like the redhead, the double often grows under birch, aspen and pine trees in mixed and coniferous forests, prefers dry places, and bears fruit most actively from July to October. This increases the risk of confusing it with a true aspen boletus.
Meanwhile, the false double has quite a lot of differences from the redhead. First of all, the pepper mushroom is usually smaller in size - its leg rises only 8 cm above the ground, and the diameter of the cap, even in adulthood, rarely exceeds 6 cm.
Also, there are no scales on the leg of the false boletus, its color is uniform, almost the same as that of the cap, but maybe a little lighter.
False redhead is easy to recognize if you cut its cap. The flesh of the pepper mushroom will be yellow-brown and turn red when cut, and will emit a faint peppery smell. If you taste the pulp, it will turn out to be very sharp and burning.
Pepper mushroom does not pose a health hazard when consumed once.Opinions about the edibility of false boletus are divided - some mushroom pickers consider it inedible, others classify it as conditionally edible fruiting bodies. The problem is that the pepper mushroom tastes too spicy and can spoil any dish.
How to distinguish boletus from false mushrooms
If you carefully study the characteristics of the boletus and photographs of its doubles, then you can deduce several basic characteristics of false boletuses.
The true redhead has a tall, dense and light-colored leg, covered with recognizable gray scales. A real aspen tree should not have a yellowish or reddish network or “vessels”; these are signs of false doubles.
If you break the redhead in half, its flesh will remain white or slowly turn blue or black. If the mushroom looks like a boletus and turns pink or red when cut, then it is a double.
The raw pulp of true aspen has a neutral taste and does not bring any unpleasant sensations. Inedible doubles taste bitter or hot, and there is no desire to eat them.
In size, a real boletus is quite large - about 15 cm in height and the same in diameter of the cap. Some of the look-alikes, such as the pepper mushroom, are much smaller.
Tips and tricks from experienced mushroom pickers
Experienced mushroom pickers, aware of the smallest nuances and differences between true and false boletuses, give beginners some more advice:
- When collecting, you should not focus solely on the shade of the cap. Depending on the age, growing conditions and even lighting in the forest, false boletuses may have a reddish skin color, but the characteristic shade of the true boletus may be barely noticeable. It’s better to look at the differences in structure and the flesh on the cut.
- Although false redcaps have an unpleasant odor, it is not always noticeable. To make sure that the fruiting body is inedible, it is better to lightly lick its flesh. Since the doubles are not poisonous, this will not cause harm, and will clarify the situation.
Mushroom pickers also note that false boletuses with a bitter or pungent taste usually look much more attractive than true redheads. They are distinguished by smooth caps and legs, untouched by insects, and make you want to cut them off and put them in a basket. However, midges and worms do not eat false caps precisely because their flesh is too bitter, but the edible red cap is of interest to both humans and insects.
Conclusion
False boletus is an edible or inedible mushroom that can easily be confused with the real boletus. There are few such varieties, all of them are well studied. It is important to emphasize that the redhead has no truly toxic counterparts.
