Cortinarius trivialis

[Basidiomycetes > Agaricales > Cortinariaceae > Cortinarius > Myxacium ... ]

by Michael Kuo

Found in western North America under hardwoods, Cortinarius trivialis has a slimy, orange-brown cap and a distinctive stem that develops a scaly or belted appearance over the lower half. Additionally, the stem is rather long, and covered with clear or whitish slime. The similar Cortinarius collinitus grows under conifers, and develops purplish shades in the slime on the stem.

I wouldn't bet my life savings that the top illustrated mushrooms are Cortinarius trivialis, rather than one of several closely related species in a genus that defines the term "look-alikes" (and for which no comprehensive mycological treatise exists!). However, they were found at high elevation in the Rocky Mountains under Quaking Aspen, and the slime on the stems lacks any purplish shades. These factors probably eliminate confusion with similar Cortinarius species, as well as the absence of cystidia on the gill edges.

I do not recommend any North American Cortinarius for the table; they are extremely difficult to identify, edibility is not known for many (most?) of the hundreds of species, and some are known to be very toxic.

Description:

Ecology: Mycorrhizal with hardwoods (especially Quaking Aspen, in the Rocky Mountains), often in damp areas; growing gregariously; summer and fall; western North America (also apparently reported from Michigan).

Cap: 4-11 cm; convex to broadly convex with a broad central bump; thickly slimy; orangish brown.

Gills: Attached to the stem; close; pale clay or faintly lilac colored at first; becoming brownish or rusty; covered by a whitish cortina when young.

Stem: 5-12 cm long; 1-2 cm thick; equal; covered with clear or whitish slime; shaggy and belted or obscurely zoned with whitish scales, especially over the lower half; whitish above, orange-brown to brownish below; sometimes with a rusty ring zone.

Flesh: White, or brownish in base of stem; sometimes bruising brownish.

Taste: Mild. Only an experienced mushroomer who is determined to separate this mushroom from its look-alikes should test this feature.

Spore Print: Rusty.

Microscopic Features: Spores 11-12.5 x 5-6.5 µ; elliptical or almond-shaped; slightly roughened. Cheilocystidia absent. Clamp connections occasional.

REFERENCES: Lange. (Miller, 1972; Arora, 1986; Phillips, 1991/2005; Evenson, 1997.)

Further Online Information:

Cortinarius trivialis at Fungi of Poland

Cortinarius trivialis in Sweden

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2005, January). Cortinarius trivialis. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/cortinarius_trivialis.html