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False boletus is a mushroom that is very similar to the real redhead in external structure, but is not suitable for eating. This is usually called not one mushroom, but several varieties, in order not to bring inedible fruiting bodies from the forest, it is necessary to carefully study false twins.
Are there false boletus
Boletus, aspen, obabok or redhead is considered a unique mushroom that is almost impossible to confuse with other varieties. His appearance is very recognizable. The redhead does not have poisonous twins and belongs to the category of the safest.
But at the same time, obabok can still be confused with inedible fruiting bodies, they are not dangerous, but they have a very unpleasant taste. A specific mushroom with the name “false boletus” does not exist in nature. This word is called other mushrooms, which have their own names, but are very similar to the redhead in external structure.
Varieties of false boletus
Most often, true aspen mushrooms are confused with several species – edible boletus and inedible bile and pepper mushrooms. In order not to make a mistake when collecting, you need to study in more detail the false and real boletus.
Underbird
Contrary to its name, boletus is found not only near birches, but also under other deciduous and even coniferous trees. The same applies to the boletus, so it is really easy to confuse them, especially since they belong to the same genus of Obabkov.
The similarity between aspen and birch lies in their structure. The boletus has a strong long leg about 15 cm long, with a slight narrowing in the upper part, the leg is white in color and covered with dark scales. The cap of the fruiting body is dense and fleshy, at a young age hemispherical, convex, and in an adult it looks like a pillow, with a tubular lower surface. According to the color of the cap, the twin of the boletus is usually light brown or dark brown, brown-yellow, olive-brown.
The main difference between the boletus and aspen is that the edible false redhead does not have a reddish tint in the color of the cap. But the real boletus has such a shade, it is not for nothing that it is called the redhead, it has a much brighter color. Also, the leg of the aspen is more even, cylindrical in shape and without narrowing from above. When cut, the flesh of the false edible twin turns slightly pink, while that of the real aspen acquires a bluish color.
gall fungus
Another false redhead is the famous mustard, or gall mushroom, which is very similar in color and structure to several species from the Boletov family at once. It grows in the same places as obabok – in deciduous and coniferous forests, in symbiosis with pines, birches, aspens and other trees, near the trunks. The double can be found from June to early November, alone and in groups, all this makes it look like a 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 leg of the mustard is light – from yellowish to light ocher.
You can distinguish bitterness from real aspen first of all by the leg. In true aspen, it is covered with dark small scales, which are easily peeled off with a knife. In the photo of the false boletus mushroom, it can be seen that the leg of the mustard 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 hat, and if you cut it in half, it will not turn blue, but turn pink.
Gorchak is not poisonous and not hazardous to health. But it cannot be used for food, because its flesh is unbearably bitter. Neither soaking nor boiling does not eliminate this feature. If you accidentally get into a soup or roast, bitterness simply spoils the dish and makes it inedible.
pepper mushroom
This mushroom, similar to the boletus, also belongs to the Boletov family, but is inedible. It is similar to obabok in its structure and color. The pepper mushroom is characterized by a low cylindrical leg, even or slightly curved. Cushion-shaped in adults and convex in young fruiting bodies, a hat of copper-red, dark orange or reddish-brown color. Its surface is smooth, dry and slightly velvety, and on the underside it is covered with small rusty-brown tubules.
Like the redhead, the double often grows under birches, aspens and pines 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 boletus.
Meanwhile, the false twin has quite a few differences from the redhead. First of all, the pepper mushroom is usually smaller in size – its stem rises to 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 may be slightly lighter.
The false redhead is easy to recognize if you cut open its hat. The pulp of the pepper mushroom will turn yellow-brown and turn red on the cut, a faint peppery smell will come from it. If you taste the pulp, it will turn out to be very sharp and burning.
Pepper mushroom does not pose a health risk when consumed once. Opinions about the edibility of the false boletus are divided – some mushroom pickers consider it inedible, others refer to conditionally edible fruiting bodies. The problem is that the pepper mushroom is too spicy in taste and can ruin any dish.
How to distinguish boletus from false mushrooms
If you properly study the features of the boletus and photographs of its twins, then you can deduce several basic signs of false boletus.
The true redhead has a high, dense and light-colored leg, covered with recognizable gray scales. A yellowish or reddish mesh, or “vessels” in a real aspen should not be, these are signs of false twins.
If you break the redhead in half, then its flesh will remain white or slowly acquire a blue or black tint. If the mushroom looks like a boletus and turns pink or red on the cut, then this is a double.
The raw pulp of true aspen has a neutral taste and does not bring any unpleasant sensations. Inedible twins taste bitter or burning, there is no desire to eat them.
In size, a real boletus is quite large – about 15 cm in height and the same in the diameter of the cap. Some of the twins, 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 a true boletus and a false one, give beginners a few more tips:
- When collecting, you should not focus solely on the shade of the hat. Depending on age, growing conditions, and even lighting in the forest, false aspen mushrooms may have a reddish skin color, but in a true redhead, the characteristic shade may be subtle. It is better to look at the differences in structure and the flesh on the cut.
- Although an unpleasant odor is characteristic of false redheads, it is not always clearly felt. To make sure that the fruiting body is inedible, it is better to lightly lick its flesh. Since the twins are not poisonous, this will not bring harm, but will clarify the situation.
Mushroom pickers also note that false aspen mushrooms with a bitter or burning taste usually look much more attractive than true redheads. They are distinguished by even hats 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 butterflies precisely because their flesh is too bitter, but the edible redhead is of interest to both humans and insects.
Conclusion
The false boletus is an edible or non-edible mushroom that is easily confused with the true redhead. There are few such varieties, all of them are well studied. It is important to emphasize that the redhead does not have truly toxic doubles.
