Tylopilus felleus (“Bitter Bolete”)

Description

Genus: Tylopilus

Species: felleus

Common Name: “Bitter Bolete”

• Common Name 2: “The Great Betrayer” [said in rueful, not-quite jest]

Tells: White cap flesh tastes bitter, & rarely stains pink. Oft-bulbous, brown stem has dark brown netting & may stain olive-brown. White pores age pinkish.

Other Information: A much hated mushroom and the bane of visiting Europeans, because it is both common and easy to confuse with B. edulis. NOTE: Your author has personally found [very] young specimens where the netting was white so please do not rely on netting color alone to distinguish from the choice lookalikes.

Edibility: Too bitter to eat but useful for unique approaches like cocktail bitters. It isn’t toxic; just absurdly bitter.

Science Notes: This is one of the few species that thrives in both Europe and North America, though it is much rarer in the old country. NOTE: It has been removed from the Florida regional filter in favor of T. rhoadsiae.

CHEMICAL TESTS:

• NH4OH (Ammonia): Cap skin turns amber-orange to reddish-orange. Cap flesh turns pale yellow surrounded by a pale blue zone.
• KOH: Cap skin turns amber-orange to reddish-orange. Cap flesh turns pale greenish yellow.
• FeSO4 (Iron Salts): Cap skin turns dull olive. Cap flesh turns gray-green.

Links:

• Mushroom Expert
• Mushroom Observer
• Wikipedia
• Google Image Search

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