#56 Cortinarius archeri

Cortinarius is the largest genus of mushrooms in the world.  Cortinarius archeri is a spectacular species.

The most distinctive feature of Cortinarius is the presence of a cortina covering young gills.  A cortina is a partial veil consisting of a cobweb-like protective covering over the spore producing surface. The cortina disintegrates as the fruit body matures, leaving a ring-zone on the stem, or disappearing altogether. In some species, all evidence of the cortina disappears very quickly.

A secondary feature of Cortinarius is a rusty-brown spore print, therefore the fertile surface of mature Cortinarius are rusty brown.

A beautiful cluster of Cortinarius archeri

Cap: when young, the cap can cover the stem resembling a helmet, but widens to convex, eventually flattening to some degree, often turning under slightly. At first, the cap is viscid (slippery), but matures to dry and satiny, fading to a dirty mauve, often aging to brown. The cap can reach 100mm wide.

Stem: is broad, viscid when young, mauve to white with membranous remains of cortina high on stem, often stained rusty brown with spores.  The wide stem is usually bulbous at the base.

Gills: are of various lengths, mauve when young, staining rusty brown as spores mature.

Habitat: mixed forests of Australia (and possibly other countries), on soil, and is mychorrizal with eucalypts. Cortinarius archeri grows singly or in small tight clusters.

Toxicity: some species of Cortinarius are poisonous, containing the toxin orellanine, so it is unwise to consume any species of Cortinarius. At this time, I have no information either confirming or denying the toxicity of Cortinarius archeri.

Cortinarius archeri emerging from the soil - my thumbnail gives size comparison

A cluster of Cortinarius archeri like little soldiers lined up in their tin hats

The cobweb-like covering still intact covering the immature gills

Young mauve gills tinged with rusty-brown - remains of membranous material high on the stem has collected rusty-brown spores

Gills turn brown as they mature.  They will turn much darker yet.

A beautiful specimen of Cortinarius archeri

My sightings of Cortinarius archeri

[This will be updated with new sightings]

Freeman's Waterhole, NSW - mixed forest May 2011

#9 Strobilomyces sp

This interesting fungus from family Boletaceae is a Strobilomyces species, most probably Strobilomyces floccopus. It is sometimes referred to as The Old Man of the Forest. Boletes produce their spores in pores (instead of gills) which are tubes forming a honeycomb surface of holes on the underside of the fungus.

White pores and inturned margin of the 4cm cap

I have only found two specimens, both in rainforest, one growing on a dead log, the other in soil. The cap is convex with an inturned margin which can hold remnants of a partial veil, and is covered in dense woolly purple/black scales over white. The cap can be up to 110mm, but I have only seen it up to 40mm.

Pores are white, darkening with age, and staining orange/brown when bruised, eventually turning black. The stem is purplish, shaggy and reticulate (raised ridges). The solid white flesh of the stalk and cap also turn orange, then black, when cut.

Pores attach to the stem in a sinuate fashion

Short shaggy scales of the cap

I have not taken a spore print, but it is recorded that the spores are blackish brown. Here is a site with additional information on this species along with the only species it is likely to be confused with, Strobilomyces confusus.

The white pores have turned black, the white flesh orange before blackening.

My sightings of Strobilomyces floccopus

[This will be updated with more sightings]

Barrington Tops National Park NSW - singly and solitary on dead wood and soil - Apr.

A young Strobilomyces floccopus wet from rain