Boletus reticulatus, the summer cep, is a porcini of deciduous woods, chiefly with oak, that fruits mainly in summer after hot, humid weather. Its velvety brown cap often cracks in dry weather, and its stem carries a strongly marked net.
Edible and widely collected; its flesh is somewhat less firm than that of other ceps. Use only young, larva-free specimens. As with all porcini, rule out the bitter Tylopilus felleus (pinkish pores, dark net) and poisonous red-pored, blue-bruising boletes.
Help build this page
This page grows with the community. Here is what it is still missing:
Photos. None yet — moderators review each photo before it appears.Sign in to add a photo
Sightings. Spotted it in the wild? Add it to the map.Open the map
Strains. No public strains of this species on WeMush yet.
Track Your Own Summer Cep, Summer Porcini Grows
Join WeMush to log cultivation data, discover strains, and connect with fellow growers.
Never eat a wild mushroom based on a web page — confirm with an expert.
Mycology is an evolving science: names, classifications and safety information change as research advances. Entries are compiled from cited sources and reviewed, but may be incomplete or out of date — check the sources, and never rely on this library alone to identify or eat a mushroom.
Habitat
Ectomycorrhizal, chiefly with oak (Quercus), and less host-specific than other porcini; deciduous woods, appearing after hot, humid weather. Early summer to late autumn, mainly in summer.
Distribution
Throughout Europe, especially common in southern and western France and the Tosco-Emilian Apennines; also Ukraine, Crimea and Russia east to Primorsky Krai. Introduced in southern Africa under Pinus patula.
Characteristics
Cap: up to about 30 cm; round and convex; velvety; brown, rust to chocolate, darker and more uniform than B. edulis; often cracks when dry to show white flesh; little or no white margin. Pores: white when young, then pale yellow, then brown. Stem: central, swollen to bulbous, up to about 12 cm tall; white to brown; strongly marked reticulation. Flesh: white, thick and firm, becoming yellowish and softer with age; often attacked by insect larvae; pleasant odour.
