Boletus satanas is found singly or in small numbers in deciduous woods especially with Oak and Beech, preferably on chalky soil. The suede like cap is large, occasionally sticky and pale cream to grey, sometimes with green tones. The pores are initially yellow but quickly become a blood red colour. The fruitbodies can persist for a long time in dry conditions.
Very local, widespread in warmer southern regions.
Habitat: On calcareous soil in open mixed deciduous woodland and occasionally with solitary trees in parkland. Usually associated with Fagus and rarely Quercus spp. Notes: Occasional but may be locally common in southern England. Reports from Scotland and Northern Ireland lack voucher material. Conservation Status: Rare (Red Data List, ed. 1); Annex (Red Data List, ed. 2); BAP species; Biodiversity Action Plan Ref: BC
Initially hemispheric then convex, and when old it can be irregularly lobed. Young specimens are whitish-grey but tend to be more ochre, buff or sepia when older, often with dirty grey patches. The surface is matt like, slightly downy. It later becomes bare and slightly sticky or viscid.
Whitish, yellow or pale ochre, turning bluish when bruised or cut. Young specimens have a spicy or little smell, older ones can smell of rotten flesh.
Tubes are pale to golden yellow, becoming yellowish-green with age, they do not change colour when cut or bruised. Pores are the same colour as the tubes and roundish.
Olive
Markedly swollen and bulbous, almost spherical in young specimens, yellowish and covered in a fine red network , which turns dark blood-red with age. The network, which is hexagonal, runs down the stem, sometimes extending to the yellow base.
Now removed from the UK BAP list as the targets for the Species Action Plan have been met.
