A large reddish-brown webcap of birch woods, recognized by two to four bold red veil bands that encircle the pale stem. It is one of the easier Cortinarius species to recognize in the field. It belongs to the large, difficult subgenus Telamonia.
Not recommended; do not eat. Some older authors called it edible but not choice. It was once thought to contain low levels of orellanine; more recent testing reportedly found none, but it is still best avoided because it can accumulate heavy metals and because it can be confused with dangerous reddish-brown webcaps: Cortinarius rubellus (deadly, contains orellanine) and C. bolaris (poisonous). Neither has the bold red bands on the stem. Full safety details in notes.
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Habitat
Ectomycorrhizal with birch, on acid soils in birch and mixed birch woodland; summer to autumn.
Distribution
Europe, including Britain and Ireland, where it is common; also widespread in northern North America with birch, from the Northeast and Great Lakes south along the Appalachians and across southern Canada, with records from Washington, British Columbia, the Yukon and Alaska.
Characteristics
Cap: 4-12 cm, rounded at first, then flattening and often keeping a low umbo; dry, reddish brown with reddish radial scales or fibrils, darkening with age. Gills: pale cinnamon when young, becoming rusty brown as spores mature; covered at first by a cortina. Stem: 5-15 cm long and 1-2.5 cm thick, pale and fibrous, slightly club-shaped at the base, with 2-4 conspicuous reddish to orange-red veil bands. Odor: faintly of radish. Spore print: rusty reddish brown. Spores: 9-12 x 5-7 um, ellipsoid, finely warted, dextrinoid (First Nature).
