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Boletus from South Africa


Manelet

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Hi

I am new in this Forum.

I collected in Cape Town yesterday, together with others to follow.

Please assist identify this Boletus type and give your opinion on if it is edible. See cut one.

I need a second opinion.

Many Thanks

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The brownish pores suggest a genus other than Boletus... maybe Tylopilus or Sutorius.

I am not at all knowledgeable about South African mushrooms, so I have nothing specific to propose. Interesting bolete, Manelet. If you find out anything about it, please let us know. In the meantime, WM has a few members with knowledge of mushroom species from continents other than North America. Maybe someone will have something to offer?

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I wouldn't be too sure about B. aereus proposal, it's pores seem to be lighter and stem shape more bulbous.

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If it was in North America, I'd suggest Tylopilus pseudoscaber, although that doesn't seem to be right either as the flesh is not discolored on photos shown.

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Today, my Italian friend that knows these mushrooms, when he saw them, he immediately said: they are Boletus!

I asked him what type and he mentioned Boletus Edilus, so we eat them.

Apparently there are very common around here.

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The brownish color seen on the pores may be due to the mushroom being held so that the light fails to illuminate the underside. But in the cross section the tubes appear to be equally dark. Actually, it's pretty easy to believe this is a Boletus. I looked through my photos of Boletus edulis I have collected here in Pennsylvania, USA, and I did find one post-mature specimen that shows brownish pores. (I am quite certain of this ID.) This one is well past maturity.

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So pores/tubes may darken with age, or perhaps the ones seen above are a variety of B. edulis that has darker pores than I am used to seeing. "Boletus edulis" likely refers to a variety of different species worldwide. The cross-sectioned mushroom seen above (Manelet's) does look like B. edulis.

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Dave, thanks for the insight. Does B. edulis always have some streak of white on lower half of its stem? Most photos I've seen show that (including yours), which is not very true about Manelet's specimen. How good of an indicator is it?

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Stalk on Manelet's bolete is browner than I'd expect for edulis, which often has a starkly white base (which is what I think you mean by "streak of white", eat-bolete). The old edulis specimen that I posted above shows a lot of stark white on the stalk. I'm wondering if there may have been a white mold growing on it. (I would not eat a seriously old bolete like this one.) But we need to keep in mind that African species that fit in with the general concept of edulis may exhibit some differences from North American types.

Looking at the photos and description of Boletus aereus in the North American Boletes guide, Manelet's bolete seems to fit the description. Manelet, I think this is the species you wished to mention when you wrote "Boletus aereos."

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Thanks Dave. That is, indeed, what I meant, trying to describe whitish look at the mushroom base.

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Manelet, you can always taste a small piece in your mouth to see if it is bitter or sweet like a good edible mushroom. If not bitter, there are not boletes than are poisonous or can hurt you. If not bitter, you can eat it.

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