Tylopilus alboater
‘Black Velvet Bolete’ is mycorrhizal with hardwoods (especially oak). Mid-summer to early autumn fruiting. Velvety blackish-brown cap skin that cracks and fades to gray-brown with age. Whitish pore surface turns pinkish due to maturing pink spores. White flesh turns pinkish, then gray (slowly). Stipe is concolorus with cap. There is some slight reticulation at top of stem. Will turn fingers blackish with handling. It is in the Boletaceae family of the Boletales order.
Edible: Expect sliced surfaces to stain pink followed by blackining while cooking. Fingers will also stain black. Fry 2-4 minutes (depending on how crispy you like them). Nutty taste. Stems are good too.
Inedible lookalikes have bitter taste, flesh that may also turn blue on cutting, a brown spore print, and blue-green bruising at base of stem. Excellent edible!
Tylopilus alboater
Tylopilus alboater
