A sand-dune Laccaria whose stem is often almost buried in sand, with a purplish to reddish-brown cap, dark purple gills and purplish basal mycelium. Unlike most Laccaria species it has long, elliptical, roughened spores without distinct spines. It grows with pines in coastal and lakeshore dunes.
Edibility unknown; no information found in the sources consulted. Not recommended. Purple-gilled Cortinarius species, some seriously toxic, are the main dangerous look-alikes for purple Laccarias; they have a cobwebby veil and a rusty-brown spore print.
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Habitat
Ectomycorrhizal, usually with pines; scattered or in groups in sand dunes and sandy soils; late summer through fall.
Distribution
Sand dunes of the East Coast, Gulf Coast and Great Lakes shores of North America (MushroomExpert); also reported from sandy pine-oak woods in Texas.
Characteristics
Cap: 2-7 cm, convex becoming flat or depressed; margin often inrolled; finely hairy to scaly; purplish when young, then reddish brown, brownish or buff. Gills: attached, close or nearly distant, dark purple. Stem: 4-9 cm long, up to about 2.5 cm thick, usually enlarged at the base, hairy, often lined and splitting at the apex, colored like the cap, with purplish basal mycelium; often nearly submerged in sand. Flesh: pale purplish or whitish; odor and taste not distinctive. Spore print: white. Spores: 14-20 x 5.5-8 um, elliptical to broadly fusiform, roughened but without measurable spines (MushroomExpert).
