About this fungus
Red-banded Webcap is a fungus in the Cortinariaceae family. Its habitat and field characteristics are summarised below.
A sturdy birch-associated webcap with a dry reddish-brown cap, rusty mature gills and several conspicuous orange-red bands around the pale lower stem.
What to check
Look for two or more red-orange zones left by the universal veil, a young cobweb-like cortina, attached gills that mature rusty-brown, and a rusty-brown spore print. The stem base may be club-shaped but has no volva. These features support the identification, but many webcaps require microscopy and regional expertise.
Lookalikes
Several members of Cortinarius section Armillati share brown caps and coloured veil bands. Research confirms that the section contains multiple similar species, and DNA barcodes alone may not always settle the boundary. Orellanine has been detected in North American C. armillatus material; its concentration and regional consistency should not be assumed, but the finding rules out treating this species as harmless.
Habitat and range
Mycorrhizal chiefly with birch in northern temperate woodland and heath, often on acidic soil among moss or heather. Records outside the familiar northern European concept deserve regional taxonomic care.
Food safety
Inedible.
Photographs
Tatiana Bulyonkova / CC BY-SA 2.0