Species details
Gypsy mushroom
Cortinarius caperatus
Extra caution required
Photo: Walt Sturgeon (Mycowalt) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo source · License
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Description
A fleshy ochre to wheat-coloured mushroom with a whitish bloom on young caps and a distinctive persistent membranous ring.
Identification features
Gills start pale and later become ochre to rusty brown. The pale fibrous stem bears a clear ring; the cap is often wrinkled and powdery-bloomed, especially centrally.
Identification checklist
The key combination is a wheat-ochre cap with whitish bloom, a pale sturdy stem and a distinct membranous ring. Check that the gills darken to rusty tones with age and that the spore print is rust brown.
How to separate similar species
Poisonous Hebeloma species lack the same combination of a powdery-bloomed cap and persistent membranous ring and may smell strongly of radish. Other webcaps usually lack such a distinct ring. Old specimens are more difficult.
Habitat
In coniferous and mixed woodland, often on acidic soils; from late summer through autumn.
Fruiting period
August, September, October, November
Similar species
- Hebeloma sinapizans
- Cortinarius allutus
- Cortinarius species