Cortinarius anomalus
Encyclopedia
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 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
.
in 1818. Fries later transferred it to the genus Cortinarius
in 1838 in his Epicrisis Systematis Mycologici. Friedrich Otto Wünscheplaced it in Dermocybe
as Dermocybe anomala.
Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Cortinarius anomalus is closely related to Cortinarius collinitus
, Cortinarius violaceus
, and Cortinarius odorifer.
The fungus is commonly
known as the "variable webcap". The specific epithet anomalus is derived from the Latin
word for "paradoxical".
is up to 5 cm (2 in), initially almost spherical, then expanded convex and finally flattened. The cap has a broad, blunt and low umbo
, which frequently lies in a depression since the margin which is initially rolled inward, then straight, often becomes turned upward. The cap cuticle
is dry and difficult to peel. The cap surface is dry or humid, non-shiny in the center, but shiny towards the margin which is covered with fibrils when young. The cap is almost uniformly colored dirty rusty-brown or ashy-brown to grayish-tan, sometimes slightly paler towards the margin, with or without a faint grayish-violet tinge when young.
The gills are moderately crowded, about 4 mm (0.15748031496063 in) wide when mature, thin, and whitish-blue, grayish-blue or pale lilac
when young. As the mushroom matures, the gill color rapidly fades and soon becomes brown, then a rusty-clay color, without any trace of the blue characteristic of young specimens. The gill attachment to the stem
is adnate (fused to the stem) and emarginate (notched). The edge of the gills is pale, and the edge ranges from finely denticulate (with a very finely toothed margin) to straight.
The stem is 6 – long and 0.5 – thick, cylindrical above, slightly club-shaped below, and usually somewhat curved. It is initially very fibrillose, later silvery shiny and wavy, violet or grayish violet at the apex when young, more gray or grayish-brown at the base. The violet coloring soon disappears and then the stem is whitish or pale clay brownish and silkily fibrillose. Beneath the cap there is a golden yellow ring-like region. On the rest of the stem there are sometimes remnants of the partial veil
as yellowish-saffron hairy tufts, which form incomplete rings or scattered minute scales. The cortina (a cobweb-like partial veil consisting of silky fibrils) is thick, whitish, and lasts only a short time.
The flesh
in the cap is thin, rarely thicker than 0.5 cm (0.196850393700787 in), whitish to pale violet or pale lilac in the upper part of the stem when young, but soon fading, grayish-white in the lower part of the stem. Its smell is faintly fruity, and its taste mild. It is an edible mushroom
but insubstantial.
The spore deposit
is rusty-brown. The spore
s are spherical to egg-shaped, with a distinct apiculus (the part of a spore which attaches to the sterigmata at the end of a basidium), finely verrucose, 5.7–9 by 7–8.5 μm
. The basidia (spore-bearing cells) are four-spored and measure 30–40 by 8–9 μm.
zone of the northern hemisphere
.
Fungus
A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
of the genus Cortinarius
Cortinarius
Cortinarius is a genus of mushrooms. It is suspected to be the largest genus of agarics, containing over 2000 different species and found worldwide. A common feature among all species in the genus Cortinarius is that young specimens have a cortina between the cap and the stem, hence the name,...
. It produces a medium-sized mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
with a grayish-brown cap
Pileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
up to 5 cm (2 in) wide, gray-violet gills and a whitish stem
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
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
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
zone of the northern hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
.
Taxonomy, phylogeny, and naming
The species was first described as Agaricus anomalus by Elias Magnus FriesElias Magnus Fries
-External links:*, Authors of fungal names, Mushroom, the Journal of Wild Mushrooming.*...
in 1818. Fries later transferred it to the genus Cortinarius
Cortinarius
Cortinarius is a genus of mushrooms. It is suspected to be the largest genus of agarics, containing over 2000 different species and found worldwide. A common feature among all species in the genus Cortinarius is that young specimens have a cortina between the cap and the stem, hence the name,...
in 1838 in his Epicrisis Systematis Mycologici. Friedrich Otto Wünscheplaced it in Dermocybe
Dermocybe
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....
as Dermocybe anomala.
Phylogenetic analysis suggests that Cortinarius anomalus is closely related to Cortinarius collinitus
Cortinarius collinitus
Cortinarius collinitus is a species of fungi in the family Cortinariaceae.-Description:The cap is 3–9 cm in diameter, convex to flat in shape, with a sticky, gelatinous surface . The gills are adnexed, close, and pallid or pale violet in color...
, Cortinarius violaceus
Cortinarius violaceus
Cortinarius violaceus is a mushroom in the genus Cortinarius. It is the type species of the genus, but is distinguished from other species due to its dark colouration and distinct cystidia...
, and Cortinarius odorifer.
The fungus is commonly
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
known as the "variable webcap". The specific epithet anomalus is derived from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
word for "paradoxical".
Description
The capPileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
is up to 5 cm (2 in), initially almost spherical, then expanded convex and finally flattened. The cap has a broad, blunt and low umbo
Umbo (mycology)
thumb|right|[[Cantharellula umbonata]] has an umbo.thumb|right|The cap of [[Psilocybe makarorae]] is acutely papillate.An umbo is a raised area in the center of a mushroom cap. Caps that possess this feature are called umbonate. Umbos that are sharply pointed are called acute, while those that are...
, which frequently lies in a depression since the margin which is initially rolled inward, then straight, often becomes turned upward. The cap cuticle
Pileipellis
thumb|300px||right|The cuticle of some mushrooms, such as [[Russula mustelina]] shown here, can be peeled from the cap, and may be useful as an identification feature....
is dry and difficult to peel. The cap surface is dry or humid, non-shiny in the center, but shiny towards the margin which is covered with fibrils when young. The cap is almost uniformly colored dirty rusty-brown or ashy-brown to grayish-tan, sometimes slightly paler towards the margin, with or without a faint grayish-violet tinge when young.
The gills are moderately crowded, about 4 mm (0.15748031496063 in) wide when mature, thin, and whitish-blue, grayish-blue or pale lilac
Lilac (color)
Lilac is a color that is a pale tone of violet that is a representation of the average color of most lilac flowers. It might also be described as light purple. The colors of some lilac flowers may be equivalent to the colors shown below as pale lilac, rich lilac, or deep lilac...
when young. As the mushroom matures, the gill color rapidly fades and soon becomes brown, then a rusty-clay color, without any trace of the blue characteristic of young specimens. The gill attachment to the stem
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
is adnate (fused to the stem) and emarginate (notched). The edge of the gills is pale, and the edge ranges from finely denticulate (with a very finely toothed margin) to straight.
The stem is 6 – long and 0.5 – thick, cylindrical above, slightly club-shaped below, and usually somewhat curved. It is initially very fibrillose, later silvery shiny and wavy, violet or grayish violet at the apex when young, more gray or grayish-brown at the base. The violet coloring soon disappears and then the stem is whitish or pale clay brownish and silkily fibrillose. Beneath the cap there is a golden yellow ring-like region. On the rest of the stem there are sometimes remnants of the partial veil
Partial veil
thumb|150px|right|Developmental stages of [[Agaricus campestris]] showing the role and evolution of a partial veilPartial veil is a mycological term used to describe a temporary structure of tissue found on the fruiting bodies of some basidiomycete fungi, typically agarics...
as yellowish-saffron hairy tufts, which form incomplete rings or scattered minute scales. The cortina (a cobweb-like partial veil consisting of silky fibrils) is thick, whitish, and lasts only a short time.
The flesh
Trama (mycology)
In mycology trama is a term for the inner, fleshy portion of a mushroom's basidiocarp, or fruit body. It is distinct from the outer layer of tissue, known as the pileipellis or cuticle, and from the spore-bearing tissue layer known as the hymenium....
in the cap is thin, rarely thicker than 0.5 cm (0.196850393700787 in), whitish to pale violet or pale lilac in the upper part of the stem when young, but soon fading, grayish-white in the lower part of the stem. Its smell is faintly fruity, and its taste mild. It is an edible mushroom
Edible mushroom
Edible mushrooms are the fleshy and edible fruiting bodies of several species of fungi. Mushrooms belong to the macrofungi, because their fruiting structures are large enough to be seen with the naked eye. They can appear either below ground or above ground where they may be picked by hand...
but insubstantial.
The spore deposit
Spore print
thumb|300px|right|Making a spore print of the mushroom Volvariella volvacea shown in composite: mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print...
is rusty-brown. The spore
Spore
In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...
s are spherical to egg-shaped, with a distinct apiculus (the part of a spore which attaches to the sterigmata at the end of a basidium), finely verrucose, 5.7–9 by 7–8.5 μm
Micrometre
A micrometer , is by definition 1×10-6 of a meter .In plain English, it means one-millionth of a meter . Its unit symbol in the International System of Units is μm...
. The basidia (spore-bearing cells) are four-spored and measure 30–40 by 8–9 μm.
Similar species
Cortinarius alboviolaceus is silvery-white to gray-violet when young and has a thick, white fibrillose veil, a bulkier stem, and elliptical spores.Distribution and habitat
Cortinarius anomalus is a common species in deciduous, mixed, or more rarely coniferous woods. The fruit bodies appear late in the summer and autumn throughout the temperateTemperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
zone of the northern hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
.