Content
The brilliant cobweb (Cortinarius evernius) belongs to the Cobweb family and is extremely rare in Russia. During wet weather, its cap becomes shiny and covered with transparent mucus, acquiring a glossy sheen, which is how it got its name.
What does the brilliant web spider look like?
In accordance with its generic name, the mushroom has remnants of velum with a web-like structure. The pulp is tasteless, reddish in color with a slight unpleasant odor.
The spore body of the spider web is a brilliant brown hue and consists of sparse plates attached to the stalk. The spore powder is rusty brown in color. The spores themselves are medium in size, smooth-walled, oval in shape.
The young mushroom has a sharp bell-shaped shape at first, dark brown in color with a purple tint
Description of the cap
The mushroom cap is round in shape, its diameter is approximately 3-4 cm. With age, it opens, the margins increase, and a small tubercle remains in the center. Color varies from dark brown with a purple tint to rusty orange.
The plates on the inner side, attached to the teeth, are wide and have an average frequency. The color is grayish-brown, later becoming chestnut with a purple tint. The cobweb remains white throughout its growth.
The flesh of the cap is also thin, but dense, has a brown color with a purple tint
Description of the leg
The stem of the mushroom has the shape of a cylinder, tapering towards the base. Its length is 5-10 cm, and its diameter is approximately 0.5-1 cm. The color varies from gray to lilac-coffee. White rings are visible along the entire length, which disappear with high humidity.
The inside of the leg is hollow, smooth and fibrous-silky
Where and how does it grow
The most common spider web is in the north of the European part of Russia and in the middle zone; it is also found in the Caucasus. The season begins at the end of summer - from the second half of August. Grows in mixed and coniferous forests.
Most often found in mossy places with high humidity: ravines, lowlands or near swamps. Brilliant cobwebs grow in small groups of 2-4 mushrooms at the foot of pine and spruce trees. Also found singly under bushes and among fallen leaves
Is the mushroom edible or not?
The brilliant cobweb is an inedible mushroom.It does not contain toxic substances and is not hazardous to health, but the unpleasant smell and taste of the pulp make it unsuitable for consumption.
Doubles and their differences
The brilliant cobweb can easily be confused with several other representatives of this species.
Slime cobweb (Cortinarius mucifluus) is a conditionally edible species. The diameter of the cap is from 10 to 12 cm. The shape is at first bell-shaped, then straightens and becomes flat with uneven jagged edges. The leg is spindle-shaped, 15-20 cm long, white in color. The pulp is creamy, tasteless and odorless.
It differs from the brilliant cobweb by the absence of an unpleasant odor and mucus on the cap even in dry weather.
The most beautiful cobweb or reddish (Cortinarius rubellus) is a poisonous mushroom, classified as inedible. The length of the leg is 5-12 cm and from 0.5 to 1.5 cm in thickness, expanding towards the bottom. It has a fibrous surface of brown-orange color with light rings along its entire length. The diameter of the cap varies from 4 to 8 cm. The initial shape is conical. Next, it levels out, leaving a small convex mound at the top. The surface is smooth and dry with uneven edges of brownish-red or brownish-purple color. The pulp is yellow-orange in color and has no smell or taste.
Differs from the brilliant spiderwort in its rusty-reddish color and lighter shade of the cap.
Conclusion
The brilliant cobweb is strictly not recommended to be cut and eaten. If you find it in the forest, you should be extremely careful: other edible spider webs can be confused with it. Most often it can be found in forests dominated by pine and birch trees.
