Cortinarius camphoratus

Cortinarius camphoratus (Fr.) Fr., Epicrisis Systematis Mycologici: 280 (1838)

Discussion:
Cortinarius camphoratus is a relatively common species in the Pacific-Northwest, recognized by it’s larger size, lilac to almost-white color, non-viscid cuticle and heavy lilac to white veil. The species has a distinctive and unpleasant odor described as rotten potatoes. If you are able to detect it, this is a strong diagnostic feature. Cortinarius putorius, Niskanen, Limat. and Ammirati, is a closely related species, sharing this odor. Cortinarius putorius is described as showing brighter violet tones when young and having a white rather than lilac universal veil when young.

Both Cortinarius camphoratus and putorius are in Cortinarius section Camphorati, characterized by a pallid to purple appearance, abundant veil and distinctive cheilocystidia – which are uncommon in Cortinarius.

Description SDA 495:
Cap 23-60 mm across, lilac to pale lilac particularly at margin, lightly on the disc, coated by pale veil layer, more purple tones visible when scraped, cortina heavy, pale lilac to white, gills violet-grey when young, browning to cinnamon, stipe 32-60 mm long and 22-28 mm wide at apex, stout, clavate, flesh pale lilac grey to purple, mottled in stipe context, KOH no reaction.

AKFF-147-14 Cortinarius camphoratus_IditarodTrail-Girdwood-AK_1-Sept-2014_NS_AKFF-147-14
Pungent odor of rotting potatoes. Silvery-violet cap fading to grayish brown, violet gills becoming grayish to rusty brown, violet to beige flesh, hollow stipe. Taste disagreeable, like odor. Growing under spruce and hemlock.

ITS Analysis:
>SDA_495 Cortinarius camphoratus USA WA AAGGATCATTATTGAAATAAACCTGATGGGTTGCTGCTGGTTTCTCTAAGGAACATGTGCACACTTGTCATCTTTATATCTCCACCTGTGCACCTCTTGTAGACCTGGATATTTTTCTGAATATTATTATTCAGGTTTGAGGATTGATTTTTCTGTCTCTCCTTACATTTCCAGGCCTATGTTTTCTTCATATATACCCCAATGTATGTTATAGAATGTAATCAATGGGCCTTTGTGCCTATAAATCTATACAACTTTCAGCAACGGATCTCTTGGCTCTCGCATCGATGAAGAACGCAGCGAAATGCGATAAGTAATGTGAATTGCAGAATTCAGTGAATCATCGAATCTTTGAACGCACCTTGCGCTCCTTGGTATTCCGAGGAGCATGCCTGTTTGAGTGTCATTAATATATCAACTTCTTCAACTTTTGCTTGTCGAGTGTTGGATGTGGGGGGTTCTTTTTTTGCCGGGTCTCTTTCAATTGAGGTCGGCTCCCCTGAAATGCATTAGCGGAACAATTTGTTGACCGTTCATTGGTGTGATAAACTATCTACGCTATTGACGTGAGCCAGTTCAGCTTCTAACAATCCATTGACTTGGATAAATTTTTATTAA

>AKFF-147-14
AGTCCTACCTGATTTGAGGTCACATTAATAAAAATTTATCCAAGTCAATGGATTGTTAGAAGCTGAACTGGCTCACGTCAATAGCGTAGATAGTTTATCACACCAATGAACGGTCAACAAATTGTTCCGCTAATGCATTTCAGGGGAGCCGACCTCAATTGAAAGAGACCCGGCAAAAAAAGAACCCCCCACATCCAACACTCGACAAGCAAAAGTTGAAGAAGTTGATATATTAATGACACTCAAACAGGCATGCTCCTCGGAATACCAAGGAGCGCAAGGTGCGTTCAAAGATTCGATGATTCACTGAATTCTGCAATTCACATTACTTATCGCATTTCGCTGCGTTCTTCATCGATGCGAGAGCCAAGAGATCCGTTGCTGAAAGTTGTATAGATTTATAGGCACAAAGGCCCATTGATTACATTCTATAACATACATTGGGGTATATATGAAGAAAACATAGGCCTGGAAATGTAAGGAGAGACAGAAAAATCAATCCTCAAACCTGAATAATAATATTCAGAAAAATATCCAGGTCTACAAGAGGT