Content
Staining cobweb, straight, smeared, blue-stemmed - the names of one species, in biological reference books - Cortinarius collinitus. A lamellar mushroom of the Arachnidaceae family.
The plates are light brown with dark inclusions
Description of the soiling spider web
A species unfamiliar to mushroom pickers and not popular. Outwardly, it resembles inedible mushrooms, so it is rarely seen among the harvested crops. The color of the fruiting body is variable. At the initial stage of development, it is brown with a reddish tint, then it becomes closer to a yellow-orange color.In mature specimens it lightens to beige with a yellowish tint.
The upper part of the blue-trunked webwort is much darker than the lower part
Description of the cap
The soiled web is of medium size, the diameter of the cap in adult specimens reaches 10 cm. The color of the central part is dark, the edges are lighter. A young spider web may exhibit longitudinal asymmetrically located stripes.
External characteristics:
- at the beginning of growth, the shape of the cap is bell-shaped with a tight-fitting cover;
- in more mature fruiting bodies it becomes convex with a clear tubercle in the center;
- in the final stage of the growing season, the cap becomes spread out with concave smooth or slightly wavy edges;
- the thick blanket tears and remains in the lower part in the form of a grayish web;
- the surface is smooth in young mushrooms, finely tuberculate in adult specimens;
- the protective film is slimy, dries out at low humidity and becomes hard and matte;
- the plates are tightly fixed, the arrangement is sparse, in young specimens their color is light with a bluish tint, then they darken to brown.
The pulp is dense, whitish, and has no distinct odor.
The surface is sticky, often with particles of fallen leaves or branches
Description of the leg
The leg is solid inside in young specimens, hollow in mature ones. Cylindrical in shape, height – 10 cm, width – 2 cm. Central upright, slightly curved in the upper part. Thinner at the base than near the cap. With obvious remains of the spathe and descending blades at the beginning of the growing season. Near the mycelium, the leg is painted ocher. Often on its surface, especially in dry weather, scaly rings of a darker color are visible.
The surface is smooth, mucous, the main tone is white with a grayish or bluish tint.
Where and how does it grow
The soiling cobweb is not a rare species; it is widespread in the central regions, Siberia, the European part, and the Urals. It is found in the Far East, but much less frequently. It forms a symbiosis only with aspens, so it can grow in any type of forest where this tree species is found. Fruiting is medium late - from July to September, grows singly or in scattered small groups.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
The soiling cobweb is an edible mushroom of the fourth category. The fruit body is odorless and tasteless.
Doubles and their differences
The peacock cobweb's counterparts include the peacock cobweb. More often found in the European part, it creates mycorrhiza with beech. The surface of the cap is coarsely scaly and brick-colored. The stem is unevenly colored, with dark brown fragments predominating. The species is inedible with toxic compounds in its chemical composition.
There are no remains of the cover, the flesh turns yellow when cut
Conclusion
The soiling cobweb is an edible mushroom without odor or taste. Suitable for all cooking methods, but pre-heat treatment is required. Fruits from late summer to September.
