Suillellus mendax

Suillellus mendax is a species of bolete fungus found in Europe that forms beneficial relationships with beech, oak, and sweet chestnut trees. First described scientifically in 2013, the fungus produces mushrooms with olive-buff to crimson-red caps, bright yellow pores that turn scarlet-red, and stipes adorned with a crimson network pattern on an orange-red background. Its species epithet mendax, meaning "false" or "deceptive" in Latin, alludes to its close resemblance to the widespread Suillellus luridus, from which it differs by its preference for acidic soils, velvety cap texture, and more elongated spores. The species has been confirmed through DNA studies in Italy, France, and Cyprus, where it typically grows in acidic woodland habitats.