Cortinarius purpurascens
Encyclopedia
Cortinarius purpurascens, also known as the bruising webcap, is a basidiomycete mushroom
of the genus Cortinarius
. The fruit bodies grow in groups on the ground in coniferous forests, throughout the temperate
zone of the northern hemisphere
, including Europe and North America.
in 1818. He later transferred it to the genus Cortinarius
in 1838. The species was also placed in the segregate genus Phlegmacium by Aldabert Ricken as P. purpurascens.
The mushroom is commonly
known as the "bruising webcap".
is 3 – in diameter, initially convex before flattening out somewhat. The margin is rolled inward, and viscid, cuticle which is often slightly spotted, smooth and with small fugacious viscid concolorous flocci. The color varies from dirty brownish or brownish-rust to ochre or grayish-bluish in the center. The margin is fibrillose (covered with roughly parallel threadlike filaments), then smooth, with a violet or reddish-violet to grayish-brown tinge, then concolourous with the center of the cap. The gills are thin and crowded closely together, broadly emarginate (notched), dark violet when young, with edges often slightly denticulate (finely toothed). The tinge and intensity of the violet coloring is similar to that of the wood blewitt (Rhodopaxillus nudus). The stem
is solid, vivid violet paling to violet-purple or violet-brown, with a distinctly marginate bulb 3 – wide, otherwise almost cylindrical towards the base. The cortina (a cobweb-like partial veil
consisting of silky fibrils) is violet. The flesh
is violet-lilac or violet, paling slightly when mature, and with a weak, unpleasant smell and mild taste. When cut or broken it turns purple, like the gills. It is an edible mushroom
of medium quality.
The spore
s are ellipsoid, slightly almond-shaped, verrucose, and measure 9–10 by 4.8–6 μm. The basidia (the spore-bearing cells) are 30–35 by 7–9 μm
. On the edge of the gills there are thin-walled irregularly bottle-shaped cheilocystidia, which protrude 20–30 μm. The spore deposit
is brownish-rust to light brown.
zone of the northern hemisphere
, and has been collected from Europe and North America.
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...
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,...
. The fruit bodies grow in groups on the ground in coniferous forests, 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...
, including Europe and North America.
Taxonomy
The species was first described scientifically as Agaricus purpurascens by Elias Magnus FriesElias Magnus Fries
-External links:*, Authors of fungal names, Mushroom, the Journal of Wild Mushrooming.*...
in 1818. He 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. The species was also placed in the segregate genus Phlegmacium by Aldabert Ricken as P. purpurascens.
The mushroom 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 "bruising webcap".
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 3 – in diameter, initially convex before flattening out somewhat. The margin is rolled inward, and viscid, cuticle which is often slightly spotted, smooth and with small fugacious viscid concolorous flocci. The color varies from dirty brownish or brownish-rust to ochre or grayish-bluish in the center. The margin is fibrillose (covered with roughly parallel threadlike filaments), then smooth, with a violet or reddish-violet to grayish-brown tinge, then concolourous with the center of the cap. The gills are thin and crowded closely together, broadly emarginate (notched), dark violet when young, with edges often slightly denticulate (finely toothed). The tinge and intensity of the violet coloring is similar to that of the wood blewitt (Rhodopaxillus nudus). 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 solid, vivid violet paling to violet-purple or violet-brown, with a distinctly marginate bulb 3 – wide, otherwise almost cylindrical towards the base. The cortina (a cobweb-like 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...
consisting of silky fibrils) is violet. 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....
is violet-lilac or violet, paling slightly when mature, and with a weak, unpleasant smell and mild taste. When cut or broken it turns purple, like the gills. 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...
of medium quality.
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 ellipsoid, slightly almond-shaped, verrucose, and measure 9–10 by 4.8–6 μm. The basidia (the spore-bearing cells) are 30–35 by 7–9 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...
. On the edge of the gills there are thin-walled irregularly bottle-shaped cheilocystidia, which protrude 20–30 μm. 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 brownish-rust to light brown.
Distribution and habitat
The fruit bodies of Cortinarius purpurascens grow in groups in coniferous forests, mainly on more acid soils and is quite rare. It is distributed 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...
, and has been collected from Europe and North America.