Boletus

( Bot.) A gen. of Fungi, of the ord. Hymen omycetes, which may be distinguished from Agaric us by the absence of gills, the under-side of the cap or pile us being covered by a porous layer composed of innumerable short tubes united together. Some of the species are edible, though they are all set down as mere toad-stools by the mushroom - gatherers of this country. B. edulis , the Ceps ordinaire of the French markets, is much used throughout the European continent. It grows in woody situations, and attains a considerable size, the cap being usually six or seven inches acro . The color of the cap ranges from light brown to brownish black, while that of the layer of tubes beneath is at first Fig . 383. BOLETUS EDULIS. white, then yellow, and finally yellowish-green. The stem is thick, solid, and beautifully reticulated. To prepare the fungus for the table, the layer of tubes, the skin, and the stem, must be thrown away, for nothing but the firm and delicate flesh of the cap is to be eaten. This may be either eaten raw with salt and pepper, or cooked like a common mushroom.