The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: The mushroom of which you sent an imperfect specimen is a Boletus, allied to the European B. edulis and B. luteus, but as the specimen is devoid of its stipes (stalk), it cannot be named with exactitu...

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Physical location:

91.10.00b

Plant names

Boletus edulis
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Boletus luteus
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Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to the Leader, 1891-10 [91.10.00b]. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id//letters/1890-6/1891/91-10-00b-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Letter not found. The text given here is from 'Answers to correspondents', Leader, 3 October 1891, p. 14 (B91.10.04). It is introduced by ' Name of Fungus.—. J, M. — We submitted the fungus to the Government Botanist, who replies: —'.

The mushroom of which you sent an imperfect specimen is a Boletus, allied to the European B. edulis and B. luteus, but as the specimen is devoid of its stipes (stalk), it cannot be named with exactitude. Several European species of Boletus are edible, as may be seen in Select Plants ,

B89.09.01, p. 72, or B88.12.01, p. 63, under Boletus bovinus. Earlier editions from B80.13.07 had shorter entries.

but as this genus contains also several very poisonous it requires the utmost of caution to try our own species here for food. Perhaps very small morsels could tentatively be used by cooking, and by degrees their harmfulness or otherwise be demonstrated.