Fleshy Fungi of New Brunswick >> Cortinarius hemitrichus

Cortinarius hemitrichus (Pers.) Fr.

Gregarious in litter under Abies balsamea and Betula cordifolia with Alnus viridis nearby, Little Lepreau, New Brunswick (22-09-04/01 - NBM F-483).

Basidiospores ellipsoidal, finely granular-warted, 6.9-8.4 X 3.8-4.7 μm, D/d = 1.59-2.11 (average[34]: 7.5 X 4.2 μm, D/d= 1.78).

The fibrillose-scaly pileus, abundant white veil material on the stipe and lack of Pelargonium odour characterize this collection. It seems to be a good fit for the European concept of C. hemitrichus aside from its rather large stature. However, the hyphae of the lamellar trama lack the brown granular or scale-like encrustations typical of most members of Cortinarius subgenus Telamonia section Incrustati, a feature casting doubt on the identification of this collection. Another collection made from a nearby site a month earlier is more typical in this regard but has broader basidiospores and is not comfortably assignable to C. hemitrichus. A collection illustrated on the Mycoquébec web site is very similar but requires microscopic (or molecular) comparison with ours to comment confidently on their identity.

Photograph: D. Malloch (22-09-04/01 - NBM F-483).