Devil's bolete  (Boletus satanus)

The Devil's bolete (or boletus) appears as a large toadstool, usually around the base of beech and oak trees. It shares the characteristics of the bolete family in having a greatly swollen stem, and the whole toadstool looks as if it has been inflated like a badly-made dumpling. The cap is domed and rather bun-shaped. It is coloured a dirty chalky-white, and the stem is tinged with pink. The shape of this stem has been compared to a Chianti bottle. The underside of the cap has pores rather than the gills which most other fungi use to distribute their spores. The whole fungus smells of spice, but under no circumstances should it be tasted, as it is poisonous.

WARNING: many species of fungus are poisonous or contain chemicals that can cause sickness. Never pick and eat any species of fungus that you cannot positively recognise or are unsure about. Some species are deadly poisonous and can cause death within a few hours if swallowed.