Pink-purple boletus (Imperator rhodopurpureus) photo and description

Boletus pink-purple (Emperor rhododendron)

The cap diameter is 5-20 cm. At first it has a spherical shape, later it becomes convex with slightly wavy edges. Velvety dry skin in wet weather becomes a little slimy, forms small tubercles. Boletus pink-purple has an uneven color: a gray or olive-gray background with wine, red-brown or pink zones. If you press on the surface of the fungus, then it will be covered with dark blue spots. It is often damaged by insects, and yellow flesh can be seen in these places.

The tubular layer is lemon-yellow, which later becomes greenish-yellow. The pores are blood-red (or orange-red), small, turn blue when pressed. Spore powder olive-brown.

The stem of the fungus grows up to 15 cm in height, the diameter reaches 7 cm. At first it has a tuberous shape, and later turns into a cylindrical one, has a club-shaped thickening. The color of the leg is lemon yellow, there is a reddish dense mesh, which turns black or blue when pressed.

Young specimens have firm lemon-yellow flesh, which quickly turns blue-black when damaged, and after a long time turns wine-colored. The mushroom has a sweetish taste and emits a faint sour-fruity aroma.

Boletus pink-purple likes to grow on calcareous soils, prefers hilly and mountainous areas. It can be found in mixed and broad-leaved forests next to oaks and beeches.

The mushroom should not be eaten raw or undercooked because it is poisonous. It is better not to collect it at all, since it is quite rare and little studied.

The habitat of this mushroom extends to Our Country, Ukraine, European countries. Warm climates are preferred. It is very similar to edible mushrooms such as Boletus erythropus and Boletus luridus, as well as to the satanic mushroom (Boletus satanas) and other similarly colored bolets.