Image of Cortinarius hercynicus (Pers.) M. M. Moser 1967

Description:

Slo.: vijoliasta koprenka, jelova podvrsta - Habitat: overgrown alluvial deposits, a small patch of an open and pure Picea abies forest growing on a long time abandoned alpine pasture, lightly overgrown calcareous ground, flat terrain, mostly in shade, partly protected from direct rain by tree canopies, average precipitations ~ 3.000 mm/year, average temperature 4-6 deg C, elevation 970 m (3.200 feet), alpine phytogeographical region. - Substratum: soil among large Picea abies trees. - Comments: This strikingly beautifully colored mushroom presumably occurs in two forms. Depending on the author they are treated on species, subspecies or variety level or both considered as a single species. The main distinguishing traits would be habitat (broadleaf versus conifers forest) and spore width (C. hercynicus has broader spores). Measured spore width in this observation is somewhere in between both options, slightly inclined toward C. hercynicus. In addition, the mushrooms were growing in a pure Picea abies stand in alpine phytogeographical region, which also speaks in favor of C. hercynicus. Two writings of subspecies name are in use - hercynicus and harcynicus, the second one being correct (Ref.:(1)). - Growing in large groups, certainly more than 50 pilei present in a relatively small area around about ten, fifteen large Picea abies trees. Pileus diameter up to 10 cm; taste and smell faint, indistinctive; SP abundant, orange-brown, oac728, 5% KOH reactions on flesh red. - Spores fine warty. Dimensions: 11.2 [12.5 ; 13.1] 14.4 x 7.7 [8.3 ; 8.6] 9.2 microns, Q = 1.3 [1.5 ; 1.6] 1.7 ; N = 27 ; C = 95%, Me = 12.8 x 8.4 microns; Qe = 1.5. Olympus CH20, NEA 100x /1.25, magnification 1.000 x, oil, in water. AmScope MA500 digital camera. - Herbarium: Mycotheca and lichen herbarium (LJU-Li) of Slovenian Forestry Institute, Vena pot 2, Ljubljana, Index Herbariorum LJF. - Ref.: (1) J. Breitenbach, F. Kraenzlin, Eds., Fungi of Switzerland, Vol.5. Verlag Mykologia (1984), p 142. (2) G. J. Krieglsteiner (Hrsg.), Die Grosspilze Baden-Wrttembergs, Band 5, Ulmer (2003), p 12. (3) M. Bon, Parey's Buch der Pilze, Kosmos (2005), p 222. (4) R. Phillips, Mushrooms, Macmillan (2006), p 186. (5) D. Arora, Mushrooms Demystified, Ten Speed Press, Berkeley (1986), p 446. (6) R.M. Daehncke, 1200 Pilze in Farbfotos, AT Verlag (2009), p 711.