292 BRITISH FUNGI 



silky-fibrillose, never forming a distinct interwoven ring on the 

 stem, but frequently remaining as a silky or fibrillose zone. 



A very natural genus, but difficult to define in words. The 

 cobweb-like veil and rust-coloured gills and spores are the most 

 pronounced characters. ]\Iost nearly allied to Flammula, which 

 differs in the species growing on wood, and the decurrent gills. All 

 the species of Cortinarius grow on the ground. The genus is divided 

 into the following sub-genera : 



Cap viscid or glutinous, stem firm, dry. Phlegmacium. 



Cap and stem both viscid. Myxacium. 



Not viscid nor hygrophanous, cap everywhere equally fleshy 

 (not becoming markedly thinner towards the edge) ; cap at first 

 squamulose ; stem fleshy, rather bulbous. Inoloma. 



Not viscid nor hygrophanous, flesh of cap thin and equal ; stem 

 equal or narrowed. Dcrmocyhc. 



Hygrophanous, not viscid, flesh of cap either thin throughout, 

 or when thick at the disc becoming suddenly thin ; stem either 

 with one or more ring zones, or scaly (peronate) up to the ring zone. 



Telamonia. 



Hygrophanous, not viscid, flesh of cap quite thin ; cap smooth 

 or covered with white fibrils ; stem not peronate. Hygrocybe. 



Phlegmacium 



* Gills pale, then tan-colour. 



C. triumphans. — Cap 3-5 in. across, viscid, yellow, at first with 

 dusky squamules ; gills crowded ; stem 3-6 in. long, clavate, 

 whitish, solid, with several tawny ring-like zones. 



In woods under birch, etc. Rare. 



C. claricolor. — Cap 3-5 in. across, smooth, yellow ; gills crowded, 

 white at first ; stem about 3 in. long, white, sometimes bulbous, 

 squamulose up to the ring. 



The cuticle of the cap often becomes cracked into minute scales. 



On the ground amongst birch, heather, etc. 



C. turmalis. — Cap 2-4 in. across, smooth, viscid, dingy yellowish 

 tan, disc darker ; gills broad ; stem 3-6 in. long, stout, hard, whitish. 



Among dead beech leaves, etc. Usually densely clustered. 



C. crassiis. — Cap 3-5 in. across, dingy yellow, disc glabrous, re- 

 mainder with innate fibrils ; gills narrow, crowded ; stem 3-4 in. 

 long, whitish, apex with white meal. 



In moist woods. 



C. halteatus. — Cap 3-4 in. across, flattened, viscid, shining when 

 dry, disc bay, margin lilac, which soon disappears ; gills broad in 

 front, crowded ; stem i|-2 in. long, solid, stout, whitish, fibrillose, 

 veil rusty. 



In mixed woods. 



