Suillus bellinii is a pored mushroom

Boletales

The Boletales are an order of Agaricomycetes, containing over 1300 species with a diverse array of fruiting body types. The boletes are the best known members of this group, and until recently, the Boletales were thought to only contain boletes...

 of the genus Suillus

Suillus

Suillus is a genus of basidiomycete fungi in the family Suillaceae and order Boletales. Species in the genus are associated with coniferous trees, and are mostly distributed in northern temperate locations, although some species have been introduced to the Southern Hemisphere.-Taxonomy:The genus...

in the Suillaceae

Suillaceae

The Suillaceae are a family of fungi in the order Boletales , containing the boletus-like Suillus, the small truffle-like Truncocolumella, as well as the monotypic genus Psiloboletinus. As of 2008, there are 54 species in the family...

 family. It is found in coastal pine forests of southern Europe.

Description

The cap

Pileus (mycology)

The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...

 is initially convex and irregular, but becomes flatter with maturity, reaching up to 15 cm in diameter. The thick cuticle

Pileipellis

thumb|300px||right|The cuticle of some mushrooms, such as [[Russula mustelina]] shown here, can be peeled from the cap, and may be useful as an identification feature....

 is brown and marbled with white to gray tones towards the periphery, especially in young specimens. It is very viscid during wet weather and peels easily - characteristics shared by many species of Suillus. The tubes

Hymenium

The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in others some cells develop into sterile cells called cystidia or...

 are short, while the pores are small and coloured whitish, beige and, with maturity, yellowish. The pores may exude a reddish latex in fresh specimens.

The stem

Stipe (mycology)

thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...

 is short, cylindrical and coloured whitish, ornamented with reddish dots along its length. The firm flesh

Trama (mycology)

In mycology trama is a term for the inner, fleshy portion of a mushroom's basidiocarp, or fruit body. It is distinct from the outer layer of tissue, known as the pileipellis or cuticle, and from the spore-bearing tissue layer known as the hymenium....

 is whitish and yellowish in the stipe base and it is said to have a fruity odour and a pleasant taste. It is often infested with insect larvae. In a colour reaction test with ammonia

Ammonia

Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...

 solution, the flesh turns crimson.

The spore

Spore

In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...

s are ochre-brown in colour, fusiform, sized 8-10 by 3.5-4.5 μm.

Habitat

Suillus bellinii is a thermophilic fungus, occurring in the Mediterranean region of southern Europe

Southern Europe

The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...

 in coastal pine forests. It forms ectomycorrhizal associations with species of pine including Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis), maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) and stone pine (Pinus pinea).

Edibility

It is reportedly edible

Edible mushroom

Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruiting bodies of several species of fungi. Mushrooms belong to the macrofungi, because their fruiting structures are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. They can appear either below ground or above ground where they may be picked by hand...

. Removal of the slimy cap cuticle is recommended.

Similar species

Suillus bellinii often shares its habitat with Suillus mediterraneensis

Suillus mediterraneensis

Suillus mediterraneensis is a species of edible mushroom in the genus Suillus. Originally named Boletus mediterraneensis in 1969, it was transferred to Suillus in 1992....

. The flesh of the latter species is yellow.