Subject: Help with Boletus retipes? ornatipes?

From: "Ralph D. Arnold" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 95 08:29:29 PST

I received this posting to FUNGUS.  Can you help? 
Reply to: [email-masked]

  Hello...I'm new at searching for information via computer and not
really sure if I'm in the correct address for asking guestions.
However, if there is any way I can get  some info regarding the
edibility of "BOLETUS RETIPES" it would be appreciated.A field guide
describes it as a variety of "BOLETES ORNATIPES" or "GOLDSTALK".
Thank you for any info that may be available.........Frank
      
                          [email-masked]

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From: Kharrison (Ken Harrison)
Date: Mon, 10 Apr 1995 19:27:17 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked] says...
>                          [email-masked]
The following are quotes from the Boletus ornatipes description in Nova 
Scotian Boletes by D.W. Grund and K.A. Harrison (p. 78 & 79) published by 
J. Cramer in 1976 as Band 47 in their Bibliotheca Mycologica series:

"Observations: We agree with Smith and Thiers (p. 330, 1971) that B. 
ornatipes is not a synonym of B. retipes (Berk. & Curt.) Sing. There are 
differences in macrochemical reactions. Singer (p.10, 1947) used a 
"beautiful yellow" reaction of the pileus to KOH as a specific character 
for the identification of B. retipes and used it again in the key to this 
species on p.35 (loc. cit.). He placed B. ornatipes (p.9, loc. cit.) in 
synonymy with B. retipes, but apparently never checked for this reaction 
on the northern forms of this complex. B. ornatipes in Nova Scotia does 
not have this reaction to KOH ...."

"Edibility: Here is a case of confused identities. Snell and Dick report 
B. retipes as edible and of good flavor, but as B. retipes is a southern 
species it seems highly probable that Snell and Dick have reported on B. 
ornatipes. It is strongly recommended that anyone wishing to eat this 
common bolete should use the normal precautions. The taste can be 
distinctly bitter."

Hope this is of some help.
Regards,
[email-masked]