This is one of the classic brown Cortinarius
species in subgenus Telamonia. That complex of species is very
common in Fennoscandia. It is a fairly non-descript brown Cort and there
is a tendency in the literature to apply that name to any dry brown
Cort. Still, one of its important diagnostic features is the
tendency of the basidiomata to dry real dark to blackish. This feature
is not isolated to C. brunneus though, as there are other
Telamonia that also dry that way. There is a very similarly
appearing, but unrelated Telamonia in California. |