Volume 43(1), 2003

Tanzanian mushrooms and their uses 7. Two new and distinctive boletes
Roy Watling, Tuomo Niemelä, Marja Härkönen
Karstenia 43: 1–8.
Two very distinctive boletes from East Africa are described as new to science. Boletus spectabilissimus Watling has rich red pileus, stipe and pores; Boletus pallidissimus Watling has almost white pileus and contrasting olivaceous yellow pores and tubes. The two species were collected in the miombo area (Brachystegia woodlands) of southern Tanzania. Closely related taxa in North America and South East Asia are discussed.

A note on the claimed toxicity of Cortinarius gentilis
Eeva-Liisa Hintikka, Mauri Korhonen
Karstenia 43: 9–12. Karstenia 43: 9–12. The toxicity of Cortinarius orellanus group of mushrooms became apparent in the 1950ies. C. gentilis was considered toxic in Finnish mycological publications. The opinion was primarily based on the study by Möttönen et al. (1975) and on a case study by Hulmi et al. (1975), which papers were then cited in later publications. When the specimens on which the first-named study was based were rechecked, it turned out that the original material used for the rat feeding test by Möttönen with his co-workers was not adequately documented. In order to examine the possible toxicity of Finnish C. gentilis mushrooms, the present authors studied 28 samples of this species. An unspecific cell culture toxicity test and a feeding test on mice revealed no toxicity in C. gentilis.

Tremelloid, aphyllophoroid and pleurotoid Basidiomycetes of Veps Plateau (Northwest Russia)
Ivan V. Zmitrovich
Karstenia 43: 13–36.
The work summarizes our present-day knowledge on the aphyllophoroid, tremelloid and pleurotoid Basidiomycetes of Veps Plateau (Northwest Russia, eastern Leningrad Region). Earlier data carried out by the author as well as Finnish polyporologists are presented. Some new unpublished data are adduced, too. In total, 355 species are cited for the Veps Plateau; 19 of them are new to the area. Three species – Gloiothele lactescens (Berk.) Hjortstam, Hyphodontia efibulata J. Erikss. & Hjortstam, Crepidotus versutus (Peck) Sacc. – are new to Russia. Some rare and interesting species are described or discussed. The check-list contains information on localities, substrates and ecological preferences of the species; some herbarium vouchers (LE) are cited. A new combination is proposed as Antrodiella lenis (P. Karst.) Zmitrovich comb. nova (Physisporinus lenis P. Karst.).