How to distinguish a false porcini mushroom from a real one, its description (+19 photos)?

The boletus is the most coveted mushroom among mushroom pickers, ranking first in flavor. However, you should only add it to your basket if you're absolutely certain it's been identified. After all, it has a sneaky lookalike—the false porcini mushroom—and the photo clearly shows how similar they are; the differences can only be discerned in a detailed description.

Other names for the lookalike mushroom include "bitter mushroom," "bitter porcini," and "choler," derived from its bitter taste, which cannot be removed even by prolonged soaking and cooking. However, the bitter porcini mushroom is not poisonous, merely inedible. The boletus also has other lookalikes: "satanic mushroom," "beautiful boletus," and "speckled oak boletus."

Characteristic features of the false white mushroom

Among the false rhododendrons, the bitterling is most similar to the white rhododendron; it also has a noble appearance, enticing inexperienced hunters with baskets. Its differences are subtle and not immediately obvious; they should be remembered and closely examined if found. And remember the rule: when in doubt, don't take it.

Appearance and photo

The bitter mushroom's cap is very similar to that of the boletus: it ranges from 5 to 15 cm in diameter, is hemispherical, rough, and becomes sticky when wet. It becomes increasingly rounded with age. The color is light brown or brown, sometimes veined.

The lower tubular part ranges in color from milky to pink. The flesh is medium-firm, with pronounced fibers and a white-pink color. It turns red when cut.

The stem is typically massive and thick, up to 3 cm wide and up to 13 cm long, club-shaped, widening toward the base. Its color is light brown, not darkening with age, and the reticulated pattern becomes more pronounced.

Morphology

Tylopílus félleus is the Latin name for bitterling. It belongs to the inedible genus Tylopilus, family Boletaceae. The tubular hymenophore is attached to the stipe; the pores of the tubules are large, clearly visible, white or pink.

In most cases, the bitterling is a symbiont, forming mycorrhiza with conifers and beech trees. This means the relationship between tree and fungus is mutually beneficial: the plant typically receives water and micronutrients, while the fungus receives sweet, carbohydrate-rich juice.

Sometimes the bitterling acts as a saprophyte, settling on stumps and fallen trees, utilizing them, and increasing the fertility of the forest soil.

Place of distribution

The bitterling loves acidic soil, so it prefers coniferous or mixed forests. It is often found near spruce stumps and even on the trunks of pines and spruces. However, it is not demanding in terms of fertility and can also thrive in sandy soils. It tolerates sun and shade and loves water, so it is found in open clearings and marshes.

It is found in various countries and continents during the warm and humid season from July to October. It grows in groups of 5-15 plants.

Consumption

It is inedible both due to its taste (it tastes bitter and spoils the entire dish) and its chemical composition, posing a threat to human health and life if ingested in large doses. It rarely causes death, so it is classified as inedible rather than poisonous. However, the damage to the body can be significant, such as cirrhosis of the liver, which is primarily affected by toxins.

Differences between a real and a false mushroom

Distinguishing a porcini mushroom from a false one is easy if you pay attention and know what to look for. Specifically:

1. The easiest way to test it is to cut or break open a bitterling. If it's truly bitterling, the flesh will immediately turn red or brown. Whitelings are different: they don't change color.
2. Smell. Young bitterlings have a subtle odor, but old bitterlings have a putrid, even suffocating, smell. This, too, can ruin a dish if it gets into it.

   

3. The stem of the gall mushroom thickens toward the bottom, while that of the white mushroom is more symmetrical throughout its entire height. The pattern on the upper part of the stem of the false boletus is mesh-like.
4. The boletus cap can be reddish or brownish in color, while the bitterling cap is light brown.
5. The white hymenophore will never have a pinkish tint, unlike the false one.
6. It's not the most obvious sign, but it's worth noting that the bitter mushroom is not attacked by pests or rotted, grows for a long time, and remains intact and beautiful. It repels everyone with its bitterness.

And one more thing: many mushroom pickers identify false boletus by taste, carefully licking it with their tongue, claiming it tastes bitter raw. This method is, firstly, dangerous, and secondly, there is a variety of bitter boletus whose flesh is slightly sweet. However, when cooked, it still becomes bitter and harmful to the body.

Other species similar to the false white mushroom

As mentioned earlier, the bitterling is not the only lookalike of the boletus. All varieties resembling the porcini mushroom are similar in appearance and to each other. From photos and descriptions, you can determine which ones are very similar and which have clear, fundamental differences.

White milk mushroom

Gourmets often compare the milk mushroom to the porcini mushroom for its taste. Its calorie and protein content rival those of animal products. It also has similar species: the pepper, camphor, violin, and parchment milk mushrooms, all similar to the white milk mushroom. All of them have a pungent flavor, but it's more pleasant than bitter. There are even recipes for drying and grinding these milk mushrooms, then using the powder as a substitute for pepper. These mushrooms are considered conditionally edible.

But what is interesting is that at a young age, the milk mushroom, despite the significant difference in morphology (namely, the milk mushroom is a lamellar mushroom, and the boletus is a spongy one), is similar in appearance to the white one, and inexperienced mushroom pickers confuse them.

A mushroom that turns blue when cut

The boletus pulcherrima or inedible boletus also has flesh with a bitter taste, like the bitterling.

But unlike the gall mushroom, it turns blue when cut, and resembles the white mushroom only in the light shade of its cap, although it can sometimes be olive. The stem is brighter than that of the boletus, changing from lemon to burgundy from top to bottom.

There's also a tasty lookalike, which turns blue when damaged—the spotted oak boletus. However, it darkens the dish. The flesh is yellow, but also turns blue when broken.

Satanic appearance

Any mushroom guide, no matter how brief, is sure to feature the Satan's mushroom. It resembles the white mushroom in its body shape.

But its tubular layer and stem are so brightly colored (the cap is modest and gray, resembling a boulder lying in the grass) that any hope of its edibility vanishes. And rightly so: it's considered poisonous, and you shouldn't even touch it with your hands when examining the flesh.

Risk of poisoning with bitterling

The bitterness of the gall mushroom is toxic enough to cause harm to human health. It enters the bloodstream, causing intoxication and disrupting the liver and gallbladder. The toxic substance can remain in the body for up to a month, initially giving no indication of its presence, lulling the body into a false sense of security.

Symptoms of poisoning:

• abdominal pain, spasmodic, sharp and acute;
• bitter taste in the mouth, dryness;
• weakness, drowsiness, dizziness;
• nausea and vomiting;
• pale skin, pronounced dark circles under the eyes;
• increase in temperature.

But nature itself protects people as best it can from consuming the bitter mushroom; it's bitter for a reason. Eating a dish even with a piece of the bitter mushroom in it is, at the very least, unpalatable. It's no wonder even insects and slugs avoid it. A dangerous dose can only be consumed if the dish was marinated or vinegared, which masks the bitterness. The poison is also insidious in that its effects may not manifest immediately, but rather after several weeks or even months.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Although not poisonous, the false boletus can cause serious damage to the organs of an unwary connoisseur. It's important to be vigilant and attentive to avoid risking your health.