Species details

Gypsy mushroom

Cortinarius caperatus

Extra caution required

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.

Detailed features

Cap: A fleshy ochre to wheat-coloured mushroom with whitish-bloomed young caps and a conspicuous persistent membranous ring.
Hymenophore: The gills are initially pale, later ochre to rusty-brown. The pale fibrous stem bears a distinct ring; the cap is often wrinkled and especially bloomed in the centre.
Flesh: Whitish to pale brownish and fleshy.
Smell: No distinctive smell.
Spore print: Ochre-brown.

Size

Cap diameter: 6–12 cm
Stem height: 6–15 cm
Stem diameter: 1–2 cm

Habitat

In coniferous and mixed woodland, often on acidic soils; from late summer through autumn.

Fruiting period

August, September, October, November

Ecology

Trophic mode: Mycorrhizal
Host trees: Spruce (Picea), Pine (Pinus)
Substrate: Forest soil
Soil: Acidic
Notes: Mycorrhizal species. In coniferous and mixed woodland, often on acidic soils; from late summer through autumn.

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.

Similar species

Hebeloma sinapizans
Cortinarius allutus
Cortinarius species

Interesting facts

Did you know? The persistent membranous ring is conspicuous and unusually strong for a Cortinarius.

Extended-description sources

Cortinarius caperatus – gobe.si