Cortinarius semisanguineus

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Cortinarius semisanguineus
Cort semi.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Cortinariaceae
Genus: Cortinarius
Species:
C. semisanguineus
Binomial name
Cortinarius semisanguineus
Synonyms
  • Dermocybe sanguinea
Cortinarius semisanguineus
float Information icon.svg
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Mycological characteristics
Gills icon.pnggills on hymenium
Campanulate cap icon.svgUmbonate cap icon.svg cap is campanulate or umbonate
Adnate gills icon2.svgSinuate gills icon2.svg hymenium is adnate or sinuate
Cortina stipe icon.png stipe has a cortina
Transparent spore print icon.svg
spore print is reddish-brown
Mycorrhizal fungus.svgecology is mycorrhizal
Mycomorphbox Inedible.pngedibility: inedible

Cortinarius semisanguineus is a medium-sized mushroom with a pale brown to ochre cap, and bright blood-red gills. It belongs to the genus Cortinarius , a group collectively known as webcaps. It is found growing in conifer plantations, and has recently been given the fanciful common name of surprise webcap. In the past it has been called the red-gilled webcap.

Contents

Taxonomy

This mushroom is placed by some authorities in the genus Dermocybe . Most mycologists retain Dermocybe as merely a subgenus of Cortinarius. The group contains almost 30 species. The species name semisanguineus means 'half blood-red', a reference to the gill colour, as compared with Cortinarius sanguineus which is wholly blood-red. [1]

Description

The cap is campanulate (bell-shaped), and later flattens, but retains a broad umbo (shield-like central boss). It is usually between 2–8 cm (1–3 in) across, brownish ochre, or umber and with a darker centre. It is covered in fine fibrils, and is dry. The stipe is usually the same colour as the cap or paler, and is smooth, or finely fibrillose like the cap. It is long, slim, and cylindrical. Cortinal remnants often left on the stem in this species can be quite fleeting. The gills are adnate, markedly sinuate, and fairly crowded. They are initially blood-red, but turn cinnamon-brown on aging, giving a spore print of the same colour. The flesh is said to smell of radishes, [1] and it is ochre in the stem, but more olive in the cap. [2]

A similar species, Cortinarius phoeniceus has a redder cap, and more distinct red cortinal remnants around the stem. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Cortinarius semisanguineus appears in conifer, or mixed conifer, and birch woods in autumn (fall). It is occasional in Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, and parts of North America. It has a mycorrhizal relationship with birch trees ( Betula ), and other coniferous softwood trees. It is often abundant under young spruce in plantations on acid soil, [3] appearing from August to November.

Edibility

Cortinarius semisanguineus cannot be recommended for the table as it is suspected of being toxic; it may contain similar poisonous compounds to other species found in the Dermocybe subgenus of Cortinarius, such as C. orellanus and its close relatives. [1] [4]

Other uses

Cortinarius semisanguineus can be used as a dye for textile yarns.

Wool yarn dyed with Cortinarius semisanguineus Wool yarn Cortinarius semisanguineus.jpg
Wool yarn dyed with Cortinarius semisanguineus

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Cortinarius rubellus</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius rubellus, commonly known as the deadly webcap, is a species of fungus in the family Cortinariaceae, native to high-latitude temperate to subalpine forests of Eurasia and North America. Within the genus it belongs to a group known as the Orellani, all of which are highly toxic—eating them results in kidney failure, which is often irreversible. The mushroom is generally tan to brown all over, with a conical to convex cap 2.5 to 8 centimetres in diameter, adnate gills and a 5.5 to 11 cm tall stipe.

<i>Cortinarius</i> Genus of mushrooms

Cortinarius is a globally distributed genus of mushrooms in the family Cortinariaceae. It is suspected to be the largest genus of agarics, containing over 2,000 widespread species. A common feature among all species in the genus Cortinarius is that young specimens have a cortina (veil) between the cap and the stem, hence the name, meaning curtained. Most of the fibres of the cortina are ephemeral and will leave no trace once gone, except for limited remnants on the stem or cap edge in some species. All have a rusty brown spore print. The common names cortinar and webcap refer to members of the genus. Due to dangerous toxicity of several species and the fact that it is difficult to distinguish between various species of the genus, non-expert consumption of mushrooms from the genus is discouraged.

<i>Cortinarius austrovenetus</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius austrovenetus, alternately known as Dermocybe austroveneta and commonly known as the green skin-head but also known as green dermocybe is an inedible brightly coloured green gilled fungus that naturally occurs in south eastern Australia.

<i>Dermocybe</i> Genus of fungi

The fungi of the Dermocybe group, commonly known as skin-heads, form a group within the huge genus Cortinarius. They are generally considered to be a subgenus though some authorities consider them to form a genus in their own right.

<i>Cortinarius mucosus</i>

Cortinarius mucosus, commonly known as the orange webcap or the slimy cortinarius, is a species of mushroom in the family Cortinariaceae. In North America, the species is more commonly associated with northern coniferous forests. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin word mucosus, meaning mucus.

<i>Cortinarius triumphans</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius triumphans, also known as the birch webcap, or yellow girdled webcap is a basidiomycete mushroom of the genus Cortinarius found in Europe. It is regarded as edible by some authorities, although others call it suspect and it resembles inedible species.

<i>Cortinarius rotundisporus</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius rotundisporus, also known as the elegant blue webcap, is a basidiomycete mushroom of the genus Cortinarius found in southern Australia, where it is found in eucalypt forests and rainforests. The cap of the fruit body is a steely blue colour, with a yellowish boss, and paler similarly coloured stipe.

<i>Cortinarius violaceus</i> Species of fungus in the family Cortinariaceae native to the Northern Hemisphere

Cortinarius violaceus, commonly known as the violet webcap or violet cort, is a fungus in the webcap genus Cortinarius native across the Northern Hemisphere. The fruit bodies are dark purple mushrooms with caps up to 15 cm (6 in) across, sporting gills underneath. The stalk measures 6 to 12 centimetres by 1 to 2 centimetres, sometimes with a thicker base. The dark flesh has a smell reminiscent of cedar wood. Forming symbiotic (ectomycorrhizal) relationships with the roots of various plant species, C. violaceus is found predominantly in conifer forests in North America and deciduous forests in Europe.

<i>Cortinarius varius</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius varius, also known as the contrary webcap, is a basidiomycete mushroom of the genus Cortinarius. The mushroom has orangish-yellow caps that reach up to 10 cm (3.9 in) in diameter, and thick club-shaped stems up to 10 cm (3.9 in) long.

<i>Cortinarius traganus</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius traganus, also known as the gassy webcap, is a basidiomycete mushroom of the genus Cortinarius. The mushrooms are characterized by their lilac color, the rusty-brown gills and spores, and rusty-brown flesh in the stem.

<i>Cortinarius delibutus</i>

Cortinarius delibutus, also known as the bluegill webcap or the yellow webcap, is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Cortinarius. The fruit bodies are medium-sized, with shiny yellow caps on a sticky, yellow-banded club-shaped stem. The mushroom is found in Europe and North America, usually near birch or beech trees.

<i>Cortinarius cinnamomeus</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius cinnamomeus, also known as the cinnamon webcap, is a basidiomycete mushroom of the genus Cortinarius. The fungus produces brown fruit bodies with caps up to 6 cm (2.4 in) wide and stems up to 12 cm (4.7 in) long. The closely crowded gills underside the cap are initially yellow before turning brown. Cortinarius cinnamomeus is common in damp places in coniferous forests. It is distributed throughout the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere.

<i>Cortinarius anomalus</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius anomalus, also known as the variable webcap, is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Cortinarius. It produces a medium-sized mushroom with a grayish-brown cap up to 5 cm (2.0 in) wide, gray-violet gills and a whitish stem with pale yellow belts below. The mushroom grows solitarily or in scattered groups on the ground in deciduous and coniferous forests. It is found throughout the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere.

Orellani

The Orellani are a group of seven related species in the genus Cortinarius that have been classified as a section of the subgenus Leprocybe or a subgenus in their own right. They are among world's most poisonous mushrooms as they contain the highly toxic compound orellanine. The best-known species are the deadly webcap and the fool's webcap, C. orellanus.

<i>Cortinarius orellanus</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius orellanus, commonly known as the fool's webcap or fools webcap, is a species of deadly fungus in the family Cortinariaceae native to Europe. Within the genus it belongs to a group known as the Orellani, all of which are highly toxic—eating them results in kidney failure, which is often irreversible. The mushroom is generally tan to brown all over.

Cortinarius badiolaevis is a fungus in the family Cortinariaceae. The species produces mushrooms with smooth, red-brown caps up to 5 centimetres (2.0 in) in diameter, after which it is named. It has a white stem, and yellow-brown gills. It was first described in 2011, based on specimens collected in the 1990s and 2000s. C. badiolaevis is part of the subgenus Telamonia, but is not part of any known section, and does not have any close relatives within the genus. The rare species is known from Sweden and Spain, where it grows from soil in coniferous woodland.

<i>Cortinarius camphoratus</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius camphoratus, commonly known as the goatcheese webcap, is an agaric fungus in the family Cortinariaceae. The fungus is found in Europe and North America, where its fruit bodies (mushrooms) grow on the ground in a mycorrhizal association with spruce and firs in coniferous forests. Mushrooms are characterized by pale blue lilac colors when young, and a strong distinctive odor. Sources disagree as to the edibility of the mushroom, but they are generally not recommended for eating.

<i>Cortinarius australiensis</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius australiensis, commonly known as the skirt webcap, is a species of mushroom in the genus Cortinarius native to Australia and New Zealand. The white mushrooms appear in autumn and can grow very large, with their caps reaching 30 cm (12 in) in diameter.

<i>Cortinarius glaucopus</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius glaucopus, commonly known as the blue-foot webcap, is a basidiomycete mushroom of the genus Cortinarius native to Europe and North America.

<i>Cortinarius sanguineus</i> Species of fungus

Cortinarius sanguineus, commonly known as the blood red webcap, is a species of fungus in the genus Cortinarius.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Helmut and Renate Grunert (1992). Field Guide to MUSHROOMS of Britain and Europe (English ed.). The Crowood Press Ltd. ISBN   1-85223-592-6.
  2. Roger Phillips (2006). Mushrooms. Pan MacMillan. p. 205. ISBN   0-330-44237-6.
  3. 1 2 Thomas Laessoe (1998). Mushrooms (flexi bound). Dorling Kindersley. ISBN   0-7513-1070-0.
  4. Miller Jr., Orson K.; Miller, Hope H. (2006). North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi. Guilford, CN: FalconGuide. p. 318. ISBN   978-0-7627-3109-1.