Cortinarius esculentus or Birch webcap

The cap of Cortinarius esculentus is small — from 3 to 7 centimeters across. When young it is convex to bell-shaped with an inrolled margin, opening out flat with age. The surface is smooth or finely fibrous, dry or slightly moist. The color is brown, yellowish-brown or clay-tan, darker in the center. Its modest brown color makes the mushroom inconspicuous and easy to confuse with other webcaps.

The cap of the birch webcap is large — 5 to 12 centimeters across. When young it is hemispherical with an inrolled margin; with age it opens to convex and flat. The surface is slimy and sticky in wet weather and glossy when dry. The color is golden-ochre, yellow-brown or honey-yellow, darker in the center and lighter at the edge, often with flattened fibers from the veil.

The hymenophore is gilled. The gills are attached to the stem, fairly crowded, pale at first — clay-colored or pale brown — and take on a rusty-brown, brown tint from the spores as they mature. When young they are covered by a cobwebby veil (cortina), whose remnants settle on the stem. The spore print is rusty brown. Rusty gills and a cortina are the hallmarks of the webcaps.

The spore-bearing surface is made of gills. The gills are attached to the stem and fairly crowded, pale at first — cream or pale clay — and turning rusty-brown, brown from the spores as they mature. In young mushrooms they are covered by a cobweb-like veil (cortina), whose remnants settle on the stem as a brown band. The spore print is rusty-brown. Rusty gills and a cortina are the hallmarks of the webcap genus.

The stem is cylindrical, 4 to 8 centimeters tall, whitish or pale brown, often with a fibrous band in the upper part — a trace of the cortina, on which rusty spore dust settles. There is no true ring. There is no volva. The surface is lengthwise fibrous.

The stem is sturdy, cylindrical or club-shaped, 7 to 15 centimeters tall, whitish or pale yellow. Its defining feature is several yellowish-brown bands in the lower part, left over from the veil, and a rusty-brown band from the cortina near the top, where spore dust collects. There is no true ring. There is no volva.

The flesh is whitish or pale brown and barely changes color when cut. The taste is mild, with no noticeable bitterness. Because this mushroom belongs to the treacherous webcap genus, the flesh is not a reliable guide: identifying it by taste or appearance alone is dangerous, so at the slightest doubt it is not eaten.

The flesh is whitish or pale yellow and firm, and barely changes color when cut. The taste is mild or slightly bitter. Because the mushroom belongs to the treacherous webcap genus, the flesh is no reliable guide: identifying it by taste or looks alone is dangerous, so at the slightest doubt, don't eat it.

The smell is faint, mushroomy, with no sharp notes. The aroma is not a reliable feature for a safe identification. The mushroom is recognized by its brown cap, rusty gills with a cortina and banded stem, yet even these features demand a great deal of experience because of the risk of confusing it with deadly relatives.

The smell is faint, pleasant and mushroomy, with no sharp notes. Scent is not a reliable feature for safe identification. The mushroom is recognized by its slimy golden cap, rusty gills with a cortina, banded stem and association with birch — but even these features demand a great deal of experience.