Earthy Webcap

Cortinarius variecolor

Coniferous and mixed forests. Summer, autumn.

Fruiting bodies large. Cap 5-15 cm across, massive, flattened, densely and coarsely fibrous, slimy when young, especially the violet margin, violet, soon ochre-, reddish-, greyish-brown. Young gills greyish-violet, old ones reddish-brown, adnate. Stem 5-12x1.5-3 cm, thickening towards the base, ending in a semi-rounded bulb up to 4 cm across. Flesh whitish, with an unpleasant earthy smell, rather sharp-tasting. Characteristic features: massive fruiting bodies, young ones with a violet tinge. Grows in small groups in coniferous and mixed forests, favouring the vicinity of spruce. In some literature it is given as a tasty edible fungus, elsewhere as an inedible one.