In article ,
Malcolm wrote:

In article , Tom Gardner
writes

I asked if you could post a URL for the "rules" for identifying
edible and non-edible fungi, but you appear to have snipped it.
I'm sure such a URL would be welcomed by many here.

I'd be surprised if anyone knowledgeable would dare
publish such a list.

The problem is that all of the old wives tales fail
in some important cases. More modern rules are either
overly cautious, ambiguous, have the same limitation,
or all three.

There really is no substitute to knowing what's necessary
to differentiate species, then rigorously checking /all/
the characteristics against multiple references.

Absolutely, and this is what I have always done, using the taxonomic
keys that exist in all good books on fungi identification. When Nick
mentioned "rules" and then "secondary rules", my interest was naturally
aroused, as this suggested additional information new to me, so I asked
him about them. He has just chosen to throw my question back in my face.

Yes, as you so richly deserved for such egregious trolling. I had
already said that I could remember only some of them - and, as Tom
Gardner says, the simple rules are overly cautious. But I am NOT
going to post any information that I am not certain of on this
matter based on 40 year old memories, no matter how much you troll.

I did NOT post that there were rules for identifying poisonous
from edible fungi, but that there were simple rules that could
avoid the most lethal specimens, and (in some cases, specifically
boleti) some secondary rules to avoid the worst of the rest. This
is at least the fifth time you have misrepresented what I have
posted in order to start your trolling.

In this particular case, you first have to positively identify
the fungus as a boletus. The rules for doing that are definitely
in any good book on British fungi. The secondary ones are to
avoid any that EITHER have red gills OR stain (especially blue).

That rule avoids B. satanas and several other not-edible boleti,
though it probably avoids some edible ones, too. I did NOT claim
that the rules I was referring to would protect you from getting
ill, merely that you could avoid killing yourself or becoming
very ill. The rules I was referring to are solely to enable the
relatively inexperienced to become more experienced.

There are similar rules for 'field mushrooms', trumpet ones,
bracket fungi and so on. In all cases, they will ensure that
you can avoid the most lethal fungi that are easy to mistake for
the edible ones you are looking for. I know of no good rules
for some of the best of the edible fungi, such as blewits :-(

Now go back under your bridge.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.