Gypsy mushroom or Horse mushroom

The cap is 4-10 cm across, egg-shaped or hemispherical in young mushrooms, becoming convex and spread out with a broad umbo in the center. The color is ochre-yellow, egg-yolk colored, parchment-yellow, with a characteristic violet-grayish floury bloom in young mushrooms (especially in the center of the cap) — this silvery-violet crust often rubs off with age. The surface is radially wrinkled, as if crumpled. The skin is thin.

Cap 6-20 cm across; in young mushrooms firmly hemispherical to egg-shaped, the margin often rolled under. Later it becomes convex to flat. Color pure white to cream, with subtle yellowish tints in old mushrooms; spots yellow to ocher when touched. Surface smooth, slightly sticky in wet weather, dry and matte in dry weather. Sometimes with fine fibrous scales in the center.

Gilled hymenophore. The gills are fairly crowded, notched where they meet the stem. In young mushrooms they are cream, clay-ochre in mature ones, turning rusty brown with age (because of the spore color). The spore print is rusty brown — typical of the genus Cortinarius. In young mushrooms the gills are covered by a thin cobweb-like veil (the cortina) — the main feature of the genus Cortinarius.

Gilled hymenophore — gills free, crowded. When young — grayish-white, with a pinkish tinge, becoming with age dark brown, chocolate-blackish. Spore print dark brown.

The stem is 6-12 cm tall, 1-2 cm thick, cylindrical or slightly thickened toward the base. White to cream, with white mycelial fuzz at the base. It has a simple membranous ring in the upper part — a remnant of the partial veil. This ring is a diagnostic feature of the species that sets it apart from other Cortinarius.

Stem 6-12 cm tall, 1.5-3 cm thick, thick, fleshy, cylindrical, slightly thickened at the base. Color white to cream. On the upper part — a large membranous double ring with a characteristic "toothed" lower edge (like a cogwheel) — a diagnostic feature of the species.

The flesh is firm, white, meaty. It does not change color when cut. It has a pleasant mushroomy aroma and a delicate nutty taste.

Flesh firm, meaty, white; when cut it slowly yellows in the flesh of the cap and upper stem. Does not redden (unlike A. silvaticus). The smell is a distinct anise-almond — a characteristic feature of the species.

Pleasantly mushroomy, with a note of fresh nuts. The taste is mild and delicate. One of the finest aromas among forest mushrooms of the genus Cortinarius.

Distinctly anise-almond, fruity — the most characteristic diagnostic sign. It comes out when you rub the flesh between your fingers. This smell is one of the most pleasant mushroom experiences in field foraging.