Boletus loosii

What it is

The African bolete is the common name the catalogue gives to Boletus loosii, a bolete described by Heinemann in 1964. The synonym Boletus spectabilissimus, described by Watling in 2003, is still used in some records.

The species page notes that some illustrations published under the name by Harkonen and colleagues in 2015 appear to show a new species. The catalogue adds that older identifications as B. spectabilissimus and B. loosei can conceal different taxa, so a record under either name may not be the same fungus.

Where it grows

The species is ectomycorrhizal and grows in miombo woodland. The EFTA page lists it with Marquesia macroura, Julbernardia species, Brachystegia spiciformis and B. boehmii. The catalogue places it in Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.

Taste and use

The EFTA page describes the taste as weak and the odour as weak and pleasant. It makes no statement on whether the species is eaten, how it is prepared, or what it is used for. The catalogue calls it a regional edible bolete, a label the species page does not confirm.

Safety and identification

No edibility verdict is given here. Because the older names can cover different taxa, a collection should be named by a specialist before any use is recorded, and no toxicity or preparation is established by the sources read for this page.

Notes and gaps

The catalogue's statement that the species is eaten in the region needs a primary food-use source. Until one is read, the page records only the identity and habitat.