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A striking member of the Cortinarius genus, recognized by its bright cinnamon-brown cap and distinctive yellowish to orange-brown gills that become rusty-brown as the spores mature. It is a mycorrhizal fungus that plays a crucial role in forest soil ecology.
How to Identify
- Cap
- Convex to flat at maturity, 2-6 cm wide, typically reddish-brown or yellowish-brown, often with a slight umbo.
- Gills
- Adnate to notched, bright yellow or ochre-yellow when young, becoming rusty-brown due to spore deposition.
- Stem
- Cylindrical, 4-8 cm long, slender, colored yellow to yellow-brown, with thin remnants of the yellow fibrillose cortina.
- Flesh
- Yellowish; does not change color significantly when bruised.
- Fruiting body
- Small to medium, featuring a web-like cortina that leaves a faint, often brownish zone on the stalk.
- Habitat
- Mycorrhizal with both coniferous and deciduous trees, often found in mossy areas, boggy regions, or damp coniferous forests.
Key Facts
- Cap surfaces: Slightly fibrillose or silky, darkening with age.
- Growth Form: Solitary to subgregarious.
- Spore Print: Rusty-brown.
- Body color: Yellowish-brown to cinnamon-brown.
- Odor: Mild to earthy.
- Flesh bruises: No significant change.
- Height: 4-8 cm
- Cap Diameter: 2-6 cm
- Nutrient gathering: Mycorrhizal.
Toxic
Severe ToxicityWhile not as acutely dangerous as the deadly, orellanine-containing Cortinarius species, it is considered inedible and potentially toxic. The genus Cortinarius is notorious for containing species that cause severe renal failure. Risk of misidentification is high.
Quick Check
- Odor: Indistinct or slightly radish-like.
- Fruiting: Commonly solitary or in small, scattered groups.
- Substrate: Damp soil, often associated with moss in coniferous or mixed woodlands.
Where to Find
Northern Hemisphere
Widely distributed across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia, particularly in temperate climates.
Finding Tips
Seasonality
Best found from late summer through late autumn.
Ecological Indicator
Look in habitats with abundant Sphagnum moss or near spruce and pine roots where mycological associations are strong.
Similar Species
Blood-red Webcap
Cortinarius
Also known as: Cortinarius sanguineus
Saffron Webcap
Cortinarius
Also known as: Cortinarius croceus
Scientific Classification
- Phylum
- Basidiomycota
- Class
- Agaricomycetes
- Order
- Agaricales
- Family
- Cortinariaceae
- Genus
- Cortinarius
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