EDIBLE MUSHROOMS. 69 



EDIBLE BOLETUS. 



Boletus edulis. 



(Plate VIII. Fig. 1.) 



This is one of the pore-bearing fungi, in 

 which there are no gill-plates on the under 

 surface of the cap, but the pale yellowish- 

 green surface is punctured with very numer- 

 ous pores, as if pricked with a pin. After 

 the summer rains it is plentiful in woods, 

 with a convex cap of three or four, and even 

 to six or seven, inches in diameter, of a 

 warm brownish colour, like a Bath bun, 

 quite smooth, and slightly viscid. The stem 

 is very thick, often distorted, pale tawmy, 

 four to six inches lon^, often two inches 

 thick, narrowed upwards, and usually with 

 a beautiful network of lines near the top, 

 but without any collar or ring, and solid 

 throughout. The pores or tubes on the 

 under side of the pileus are easily removed, 

 as they adhere but slightly to the thick 

 flesh of the cap. It is preferable to cook 



