We have collected this bolete from only one site, and only in a very limited area, near San Gerardo de Dota. The taxon appears allied with Retiboletus retipes and R. ornatipes, but has a black pileus and black pigment in the lower part of the stipe, a hymenophore and context that stains orange brown, and extremely bitter taste. One's fingers are stained yellow to orange from handling specimens of this species. These taxa produce a unique group of butenolide compounds called retipolides that are responsible for the bitter taste and the intense yellow color of the context (M. Gill, Natural Products Reports. 1996, p. 514-515).