The group of fungi commonly termed the "boletes" produce mushroom-like fruitbodies (basidiocarps) but instead of having gills they have narrow pores on the underside of the cap. The pores are lined with basidia, and at maturity the basidiospores are "popped" a short distance into the pore, and then fall vertically so that they escape from the pores and are dispersed by wind. Almost all of these fungi grow in symbiotic association with trees, forming mycorrhizas that aid the uptake of mineral nutrients from soil. The three main genera of boletes are Boletus, Suillus and Leccinum. These genera often produce large, fleshy fruitbodies. One of the classic examples is Boletus edulis - the highly prized "Cep" or "Penny Button" (see Fig. 1) which is often collected and dried as flavouring for soups in Continental Europe. [But even a relatively young specimen will contain a large number of maggots of the fungus gnat!