Content
The stepson's webcap is a rare species of the Cobweb family, which grows everywhere, mainly in the humus of fallen needles. In Latin, its name is written as Cortinarius Privignoides, in Russian-language sources there is another speaking definition of "tuber-footed". The fruiting body has no special distinguishing features. It is important to study the scientific description of the species in detail, since stepchild mushrooms are not consumed as food.
Description of the stepson's webcap
The fruiting body is formed from a long stem and an almost flat cap. The color is beautiful, copper-red or pale brown.
In appearance, it is a classic forest Basidiomycete
Description of the hat
The upper part of the stepson's webcap is not large in size, the diameter varies between 5 and 7 cm.
The shape of the cap is prostrate or convex in mature fruiting bodies, bell-shaped in young ones. Its surface is dry, velvety. The color can take on all shades of brown, orange or red.
The back of the cap is covered with frequent narrow plates that grow to the stem
In young immature stepchid mushrooms, they are brown, covered with a white bloom, ripening, acquire a rusty hue, later become uneven, jagged.
Leg description
The base of the described mushroom is club-shaped, thick at the soil surface, thin under the cap.
The lower part has a rounded tuberous outgrowth, which explains the speaking name of the stepchid basidiomycete - tuber-legged
The diameter of the leg does not exceed 1.5 cm, the length is 6 cm. The surface is smooth, silky, dry, white, dotted with small brown spots. In young stepson-shaped fruiting bodies, the leg may have a blue or purple tint. Rings are absent or poorly expressed.
The spongy flesh is light brown at the base of the stem. In the rest of the fruiting body, it is white, odorless. Spore powder of spiderweb, stepson-shaped, orange-brown color. The spores are narrow and long.
Where and how it grows
The stepson's webcap is widespread throughout Europe and Russia. It grows in coniferous forests, but it can also be found in mixed forests. This is a veteran of the North American continent. Its fruiting occurs in August.
The stepson-shaped Basidiomycete grows in families, near conifers, and forms mycorrhiza with them. You can see his red hat in a heap of fallen and decayed needles, foliage and in ordinary soil. It is rarely found in deciduous forests, mainly under birches.
Is the mushroom edible or not
The described basidiomycete is classified as a poisonous species; it is forbidden to collect it for consumption. The fruiting body does not exude strong or other odors.
Doubles and their differences
The stepson's webcap belongs to the European species of mushrooms. But, despite this, representatives of the family similar to him in appearance and description were not found on the continent.
Conclusion
The stepson's webcap is an inedible mushroom that is of interest only to collectors and mycological scientists. You can meet him everywhere in coniferous forests. For lovers of quiet hunting, it is important to pay attention to the description of this poisonous representative of the spiderweb family. It must not be allowed to end up in the basket with edible mushrooms.
