Fleshy Fungi of New Brunswick >> Cortinarius purpurascens

Cortinarius purpurascens Fr.

Solitary in a moss carpet at margin of driveway, associated with Abies balsamea and Betula cordifolia, Little Lepreau, New Brunswick (08-09-19/01).

Basidiospores medium brown in spore print, ellipsoidal to subdacryoid, fairly coarsely roughened, 7.7-9.1 X 4.4-5.3 μm, Q = 1.65-1.94 (average[27]: 8.3 X 4.7 μm, Q = 1.76. Pileipellis an ixotrichodermium, characterized by a loosely arranged gelatinous suprapellis overlying a subpellis of short brown non-gelatinized hyphae.

Cortinarius purpurascens is one of several similar species in the subgenus Phlegmacium found in our region. Most have a bulbous stipe and all have gelatinous layers in the pileipellis, making them viscid to subviscid. The presence of radially-arranged dark hygrophanous streaks in the pileus characterize many of the species in this group. Cortinarius purpurascens is recognized among similar species by its lamellae and adjacent tissues turning purple when bruised.

Collection 08-09-19/01 was reported on iNaturalist as record #35291008.

Photograph: D. Malloch (08-09-19/01).