Cortinarius elotoides

Cortinarius elotoides  M.M. Moser & McKnight, Mycotaxon 55: 311 (1995)

Calonarius elotoides (M.M. Moser & McKnight) Niskanen & Liimat., Fungal Diversity 112: 130 (2022) [MB#554412]

Description:

Cap: Inately fibrillose, glutinous, yellow-green, to yellow-brown 39-87 mm across, with adhering soil, and sometimes white disc patches when young. Stipe: 44-62 mm long, 12-20 mm thick at apex, more or less equal to abrupt rimmed bulb 22-34 mm thick, widest at top, tapered downward. Flesh: off-white to cream, hint of violet at apex when young, yellowish discoloration when cut. No odor, taste mild. KOH brownish on cap, light brown on cap flesh/stipe apex, yellow-orange lower stipe flesh.

Discussion

This species could be mistaken for a Glaucopoid, but lacks any lilac on gills or flesh and has a less streaked and watery cap surface. The greenish yellow tones on the cap and behind gills in stipe flesh are a helpful diagnostic feature. Unfortunately, although this is a Calochroid species, the KOH reaction is not bright. References describe it as “negative” but it is actually a brown to orange brown tone that also occurs in some of the Glaucopodes.

ITS and phylogenetics:

The sequences are an almost 100% match (2 base pairs 636/634 base pair match) to NR_137120.1 Cortinarius elotoides IB 19870060 ITS region; from TYPE material

Liimatainen et al (2022) transferred Cortinarius elotoides into the new genus Calonarius. Their high level phylogeny places this species in genus Calonarius, sub-genus Calonarius, section Humolentes where the authors describe basidiomata in the section as having:

“ochraceous/yellow, grey, greenish/olivaceous and ochraceous brown colours and most species have an earth-like or raphanoid odour in flesh/lamellae. In addition, the species lack KOH reaction and they do not have purplish colours in lamellae.”

(Liimatainen et al, 2022)

References:

Kare Liimatainen et al., “Taming the Beast: A Revised Classification of Cortinariaceae Based on Genomic Data,” Fungal Diversity 112, no. 1 (January 2022): 89–170, https://doi.org/10.1007/s13225-022-00499-9.

Moser, M.; McKnight, K.H.; Ammirati, J.F. 1995. Studies on North American Cortinarii 1. New and interesting taxa from the Greater Yellowstone Area. Mycotaxon. 55:301-346