Subject: Boletus

From: Ian Francis <[email-masked]>
Date: 10 Oct 1995 15:08:59 GMT

I was Wondering if any of the Boletus family (that grow in the UK) are 
Poisionous to eat, or maybe just inedible.

Ian Francis.
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From: [email-masked] (Gareth Renowden)
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 1995 09:10:50 +0100

> Poisionous to eat, or maybe just inedible.

Boletus satanus is said to be poisonous, but is thankfully rare (see Roger
Philips' very useful photographic guide - Pan Books). It is also bright
red. Apart from that one, there's just the bitter bolete, which is
inedible simply because it is incredibly bitter (said to have been used to
make gin bitter). Unfortunately, it looks similar to a cepe, though with
practice it is easy to tell the difference (bigger ones have a pinkish
tinge, and lack the fine white 'net' over the stem).

>From  memory (and do check the books) that's about it for danger with
British boletes. And there are plenty around at the moment!

-- 
Gareth Renowden                      l
Publishing & marketing consultant    l  "I don't know what I want,
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From: [email-masked] ("Laurence N Mann")
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 1995 21:58:36 GMT

I would certainly endorse the advice to get hold of Roger Phillips's 
book. I have two copies, one permanently in the car.  Also excellent, 
covering most mushrooms even in the UK, is the Audaubon Society's Guide 
to North American Fungi.

Laurence Mann