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| Figure 1. Cortinarius doung in nature. Note the thick veil connecting the cap and the stipe. |
Name: Cortinarius sp.
Family: Cortinariaceae
Collection Date: October 4, 2011
Habitat: On a rotten tree stump, clumped with other fungus of the same species.
Location: The West Woods Park in Geauga County.
Description: Cortinarius is the largest genus of mushrooms in the world, containing an astounding number of species (often estimated well over a thousand). Although the mushrooms in Cortinarius are very diverse, it is usually pretty easy to figure out when you are looking at one, once you get the hang of it. First, they have cortinas covering their gills when young (hence the name of the genus)--though the tiny fibers of the cortina are sometimes ephemeral and soon disappear, leaving no trace of themselves. Secondly, the spore print is rusty brown and, as a result of the rusty brown spores, the mature gills of Cortinarius mushrooms are usually also rusty brown. Finally, they are terrestrial and mycorrhizal.But while the genus may be more or less easy to identify, figuring out what species of Cortinarius you have found may be one of the most difficult challenges in mushroom mycology, compounded by the fact that there are few (if any) comprehensive, current and reliable keys available to the public. In short, identifying a Cortinarius to species is often best described as a Quixotic endeavor--or maybe not; Don Quixote did manage to accomplish a thorough assault on a windmill, which is more "accomplishment" than one often achieves with Cortinarius identification.
Collector: Cara Tompot
Key Used: Arora, D. (1979). Mushrooms Demystified. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press.
Keying Steps:
Key to the Major Groups of Fleshy Fungi
Basidiomycetes Pg 52.
Fruiting body with a cap and stalk, or just a cap; spores borne on gills (radiating blades) on underside of cap; spore print obtainable (if spores are being produced) Agarics (Gilled Mushrooms) p. 58.
Key to Agarics:
1b. Spores forcibly discharged, hence a spore print obtainable if spores are being dispersed; gills exposed at maturity; common and widespread.
2b. Spore print some other color (pinkish, salmon, yellow-brown, brown, rusty-orange, rusty-brown, chocolate-brown, purplish, greenish, black, etc.)
10b. Spore print some shade of orange, brown (including cinnamon-brown), green, purple, gray, or black.
16b. Not as above- (above: spore print greenish to grayish-olive.)
19b. Spore print rusty-orange to rusty-brown, cinnamon brown, yellow-brown, dull brown, bright brown, cigar-brown, etc. (but may appear darker in heavy deposits.)
26b. Not as above- (above: growing on other mushrooms.)
27b. Stalk present; on wood or ground.
30b. Not with above features- (above: fruiting body small, fragile, often widening quickly; cap usually oval to conical or bell-shaped, usually growing in grass, dung, or gardens; cap cuticle typically cellular.
31b. Gills occasionally decurrent but usually not; veil present or absent; spore print variously colored (rusty-orange, rusty-brown, dull brown, etc.); very common. Cortinariaceae, p. 396.
Key to Cortinariaceae:
1b. Typically growing on the ground (but occasionally on very rotten wood); gills and/or flesh violet or lilac in some cases.
8b. Not as above- (above: spore print reddish or with a greenish or olive tinge when moist; gills reddish when young; cap powdery and small (up to 5 cm broad)and dull grayish to brownish; not common); very common.
9a. Membranous veil present when young, usually forming a distinct annulus (ring) on stalk.
10a. Stalk thick and fleshy (at least 8 mm thick, usually more) and/or gills purplish when young.
11a. Weil covering gills well into maturity or tending to shred radially rather than break away from the cap; fruiting body tending to develop underground (occasionally surfacing in wet weather.)
No matter how hard I tried I could not properly identify the species of mushroom that I found.
Links:
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/3131357
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/cortinarius.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cortinarius
http://mushroomhobby.com/Gallery/Cortinarius/index.htm
http://www.wildmanstevebrill.com/Mushrooms.Folder/Cortinarius.html
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