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Photo By Bernard Spragg. NZ

Fool's webcap

Cortinarius orellanus

A species of Cortinar

Fool's webcap typically has a rusty-orange to red cap with a slightly darker center. The gills are crowded and become rusty in color as it matures. It favors deciduous and coniferous forests, often forming a symbiotic relationship with living trees by exchanging nutrients. Fool's webcap appears in summer and autumn and has a bulbous base, often concealed by leaf litter.

Cap Diameter:

3 - 8 cm

Odor:

Mild radish-like scent.

General Info About Fool's webcap

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Attributes of Fool's webcap

Cap Diameter

3 - 8 cm

Height

5 - 12 cm

Cap

Cap 3 - 8 cm diameter; concave, flattens with age; orange-brown; covered in fine, fibrous scales, become smooth

Cap Shape

Convex, Flat, Central Bump

Cap Surfaces

Fibrillose-scaly

Gills

Adnate; light ochre-coloured, changing to a rust-brown with age

Stem

Stem 4 - 9 cm tall, 1 - 2 cm thick; tapering base; cap-colored or paler, yellowish at the top

Stem Shapes

Tapering

Stem Surfaces

Smooth to slightly fibrous

Flesh

Firm; pale ochre

Ring

Ringless

Spore Print Color

Rusty reddish-brown

Odor

Mild radish-like scent.

Body Color

Brown

Yellow

Bronze

Orange

Flesh Bruises

The flesh or milk does not discolor when bruised or cut.

Growth Form

Gregarious

Nutrient Gathering

Mycorrhizal

Substrate

On soil

You can find Fool's webcap by these plants:

Spruces, Oaks, Pines

Occurence Habitats

Deciduous Woodland, Coniferous Woodland

Species Status

Rare in Germany

Endangered Species

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Habitat of Fool's webcap

Fool's webcap prefers mixed woodlands, often residing under hardwoods and occasionally conifers, adapting to varied pH levels in soil.

Scientific Classification of Fool's webcap

Phylum

Club fungi

Class

Mushroom-forming fungi

Order

Gilled fungi

Family

Cortinariaceae

Genus

Cortinar

Toxicity and Edibility of Fool's webcap

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Is Fool's webcap Toxic?

Fool's webcap is a highly toxic mushroom, predominantly found in deciduous woodlands during autumn. These mushrooms, identified by their brick-red caps, pose a significant health risk. Ingesting fool's webcap results in renal discomfort, severe organ damage, heightened urea, and blood pressure levels, potentially leading to liver and kidney destruction. Symptoms appear late, characterized by intense thirst, headache, and eventually, uremic vomiting.

Toxins type

Orellanine

Type of poisoning

Nephrotoxic

Toxic Severity

Extreme toxicity

Incubation Period

2-17 days, 4-24 hours with potential early symptoms

Poisoning Symptoms

Intense thirst, parched mouth, aching head, renal discomfort, elevated urea, organ damage, high blood pressure, late stage uremic vomiting, liver and kidney destruction, transparent urine post kidney failure.

Similar Species to Fool's webcap

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Tips for Finding Fool's webcap

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What are the Ideal Soil Conditions for Fool's webcap

Adaptable to both alkaline and acidic soil conditions.

What are Some Tips for Finding Fool's webcap

Search around the base of hardwood trees, such as oaks, since fool's webcap often grows in such areas.
Check both clearings and shadier spots within mixed forests as fool's webcap can grow in varying light conditions.
Inspect the ground for the distinct cap and coloration of fool's webcap, which will help in distinguishing it from other species.
Look for typical mushroom-growing environments such as moist, well-drained areas when seeking out fool's webcap.
Revisit the same locations, as fool's webcap mushrooms can reappear in the same spots in suitable conditions.

How to Clean and Preserve Fool's webcap

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Common Questions People Also Ask

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