Cortinarius vinaceogrisescens – Facesoffungi number: FoF 02044

Cortinarius vinaceogrisescens Ammirati, Beug, Liimat. & Niskanen

Index Fungorum number: IF 551708 Facesoffungi number: FoF 02044

Etymology: Name based on colouration of the stipe.

Holotype: Michael Beug 03MWB111913 (WTU) 

Pileus 30–65 mm diam., convex, at times subumbonate, becoming up lifted silky, red brown to light pinkish cinnamon, hygrophanous. Stipe 60–100 mm long, 5–10 mm thick, equal, dry, at first white, later pale greyish vinaceous brown (Tilleul Buff) at apex, lower down grey vinaceous brown (Wood Brown). Universal veil white. Basal mycelium white. Odour very slightly fragrant, pleasant. Taste mild. Macrochemical reaction (40 % KOH): pileus cuticle and stipe base Chaetura Black, context and stipe apex Chamois. Exsiccatae: pileus light brown to brown with blackish areas, lamellae brown, stipe brownish to blackish with whitish veil covering above base, basal mycelium white, context pallid to brownish. Basidia 4-spored, 8.5–9×35– 42μm, clavate, hyaline or brownish. Basidiospores 8.5– 10×5.4–6.4μm (20 spores, holotype specimens), broadly ellipsoid, moderately to coarsely verrucose, somewhat to moderately dextrinoid. Lamella trama hyphae hyaline to brown, some encrusted. Pileipellis in KOH: surface hyphae cylindrical, 5–9.5μm wide, hyaline or yellowish to brownish, some encrusted; subtending layer of cylindrical to enlarged hyphae 5–18μm wide, hyaline, walls refractive, interhyphal and encrusted pigment common, grading into trama hyphae. ITS sequence distinct from other species of Cortinarius subgenus Telamonia. With an isolated position and deviating from the other members of the subgenus in the ITS region by more than 20 substitutions and indel positions.

Ecology and distribution: Collections have been made in mixed forests of Quercus garryana and Pseudotsuga menziesii. Producing basidiomata in late autumn. Known from Washington and Oregon, Western North America. The Oregon record is based on a sequence (GenBank no. JQ393038) from a mycorrhizal root tip of Arbutus menziesii (Ericaceae). It differs by some bases from the type material but the differences might be artificial.

Material examined: USA, Washington, Klickitat County, Beug Farm, N 45 48.624, W 121 30.969, mixed forest of Quercus garryana and Pseudotsuga menziesii, 20 Nov 2010, leg. Joseph F. Ammirati JFA13674 (WTU, K). Klickitat County, SDS west of Beug Farm, N45°48′24″, W121°31′06″, mixed forest of Quercus garryana and Pseudotsuga menziesii, 19 Nov 2013, leg. Michael Beug 03MWB111913 (holotype, WTU), (isotype, K(M): 200668).

Notes: Cortinarius vinaceogriseus can be recognized by a combination of brown pileus, first white, later vinaceous brown stipe, rather large, broadly ellipsoid spores and rather dark exsiccatae. It is not very closely related to any previously known species/sections of Telamonia