Fungus
Dusky Bolete
Porphyrellus porphyrosporusAlso known as Porphyry Bolete, Purple-spored Bolete
Dusky boletes blend seamlessly into the forest floor with their somber, velvety, soot-brown to purplish-sepia caps and matching stipes. When bruised or sliced, their dingy grey-buff pore surface and off-white flesh stain slowly blue-green before darkening to brownish-black. They form mycorrhizal partnerships with both conifers and hardwoods, emitting a distinctively pungent, sour aroma that easily sets them apart from true ceps.
MycorrhizalForestVelvety
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyMycorrhizal (absorbs water and minerals via mutualistic tree root networks)
Predators
- Fungus gnat larvae
- Slugs
- Small mammals
ThreatsHabitat fragmentation, acid rain, soil compaction, and clear-cutting of mature forests
HabitatsConiferous and mixed temperate woodlands, particularly beneath beech, oak, spruce, and pine
Life spanFruiting body lasts 1–2 weeks; underground mycelium lives for decades
Classification
- OrderBoletales
- FamilyBoletaceae
- GenusPorphyrellus
- SpeciesPorphyrellus porphyrosporus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Many edible mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
- Spore Print: Take a spore print on white paper to observe its characteristic purple-brown color.
- Bruising Test: Gently scratch the pores to observe a slow blue-green to blackish color shift.
- Scent Check: Sniff the fresh flesh to detect its uniquely pungent, sour or chemical odor.
Look-alike (c) Daniel Ghyselinck, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Daniel Ghyselinck · cc-by
Ecological Neighbor Tocekas / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Host Tree (c) Daniel Linzbauer, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Daniel Linzbauer · cc-by
Host Tree (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman · cc-by-sa
Same Family (c) Davide Puddu, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Davide Puddu · cc-by
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