Boletus luridus, commonly known as the lurid bolete, is a fungus of the bolete family, found in deciduous woodlands on chalky soils in Asia, Europe, and eastern North America. Fruit bodies arise in summer and autumn and may be abundant. It is a solid bolete with an olive-brown cap up to 20 cm (8 in) in diameter, with small reddish pores on the underside. The stout ochre stem reaches dimensions of 8–14 cm (3–6 in) tall and 1–3 cm (0.4–1.2 in) wide, and is patterned with a reddish meshwork. Like several other red-pored boletes, it stains blue when bruised or cut. Though edible when cooked, it can cause gastric upset when eaten raw and can be confused with the poisonous Boletus satanas. Hence some guidebooks recommend avoiding consumption altogether. Boletus luridus has been implicated in causing adverse reactions when eaten with alcohol similar to those caused by the compound coprine, though laboratory testing has not revealed any evidence of coprine in the mushroom. Boletus luridus is mycorrhizal, forming a symbiotic association with deciduous trees such as oak, birch and beech, and has been found to have a growth-enhancing effect with conifers in experiments.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boletus_luridus

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1782:

The Congress of the Confederation adopted the Great Seal of the United States, used to authenticate certain documents issued by the federal government. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Seal_of_the_United_States

1789:

French Revolution: Meeting in a tennis court near the Palace of Versailles, members of France's Third Estate took the Tennis Court Oath, pledging not to separate until a new constitution was established. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennis_Court_Oath

1837:

Victoria succeeded to the British throne, starting a reign that lasted for more than 63 years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Victoria

1895:

The Kiel Canal (pictured), connecting the North Sea to the Baltic Sea across the base of the Jutland peninsula in Germany, was officially opened. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiel_Canal

1921:

Workers at the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills in the city of Chennai, India, began a four-month strike. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1921_Buckingham_and_Carnatic_Mills_Strike

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

demagogue: (pejorative) An orator or leader who gains favor by pandering to or exciting the passions and prejudices of the audience. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/demagogue

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Nothing is wholly obvious without becoming enigmatic. Reality itself is too obvious to be true.   --Jean Baudrillard https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Jean_Baudrillard