Orellani
The Orellani are a group of seven related species in the genus Cortinarius that have been classified as a section of the subgenus Leprocybe or a subgenus in their own right. They are among world's most poisonous mushrooms as they contain the highly toxic compound orellanine. The best-known species are the deadly webcap (Cortinarius rubellus, formerly also known as C. speciosissimus or C. orellanoides) and the fool's webcap, C. orellanus.
| Lethal webcaps | |
|---|---|
| Deadly webcap, Cortinarius rubellus | |
| Fool's webcap, Cortinarius orellanus | |
| Scientific classification | |
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| Species: | C. rubellus C. orellanus |
| Binomial name | |
| Cortinarius rubellus | |
| Cortinarius orellanus | |
| Cortinarius rubellus | |
|---|---|
| Gills on hymenium | |
| Cap is umbonate | |
| Hymenium is adnexed | |
| Stipe has a cortina | |
| Spore print is brown | |
| Ecology is mycorrhizal | |
| Edibility is deadly | |
The mushrooms' characteristics are quite common, making them difficult to identify, which often leads to fatal poisonings. Young examples of the species often have a veil between the cap of the mushroom and the stem. This veil looks like a cobweb, hence the name. The veil however partially or completely disappears in older specimens. Some other characteristics for each of the mushrooms are given below.