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Cobweb (Cortinarius glaucopus) is a rather rare agaric fungus of the family Cortinariaceae (Spiderwebs). It grows in almost any forest plantations. It got its name because of the original color of the legs.
Description of the cobweb
The blue-legged cobweb is a fruiting body with a smooth brown cap with a bluish fibrous stalk.
Cap Description
The hat is in the form of a hemisphere or convex. As it grows, it becomes prostrate, with a small funnel in the center. The edges are wavy, slightly rolled down. Its surface is smooth, slippery to the touch. The color varies from reddish to green-brown.
The pulp has a high density. It is yellow in the hat and upper part of the leg, and blue in the lower part. The plates are rare, grown. At a young age they are gray-violet, in the stage of full maturity – brown.
Appearance top and bottom
Description of the leg
Fibrous, silky, long (about 9 cm) and quite thick (about 3 cm). Its shape is cylindrical, expanding at the base. In the upper part the color is gray-lilac, below it is greenish-lilac.
Fibrous leg with a thickening at the bottom
Where and how to grow
The blue-legged cobweb grows both singly and in small groups. It occurs in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests of the eastern part of Our Country. Fruiting lasts from early August to late September.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
The mushroom belongs to the category of conditionally edible. Mostly they eat a hat, which is considered the most edible part of it. Used for cooking second courses, marinated and salted. Does not have high nutritional value. In its raw form, it is tasteless, with a slight unpleasant (musty) smell.
Twins and their differences
From its fellow cobwebs, the blue-legged cobweb differs in the characteristic color of the legs, which is inherent only to it. The main difference is the whitish lower part with a bluish or pinkish tint. Therefore, in nature there are no twins with which this mushroom could be confused.
Conclusion
The cobweb is a conditionally edible mushroom that requires pre-treatment. In its raw form, it is strictly forbidden to use it. Suitable for pickling, dried and fried it is too hard. It differs from other mushrooms in the color of the legs, bluish with a pink-blue tint.