Fauna
Fungus

Viscid Violet Cort

Cortinarius iodes

Also known as Spotted Cort

Viscid violet corts emerge across eastern North American deciduous woods during late summer and autumn, forming vital mycorrhizal partnerships with oaks and beeches. Young caps gleam with a thick, gelatinous purple slime coat that gradually develops yellowish bleached spots as the fruiting body expands and dries. A delicate web-like cortina covers the immature lilac gills, eventually tearing to catch a dusty coating of rusty brown spores.

MycorrhizalForestPurple
Viscid Violet Cort reference1 / 7
(c) Charles de Martigny, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
—observations
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyMycorrhizal nutrient exchange
Predators
  • Slugs
  • Fungus gnat larvae
  • Woodland rodents
ThreatsDeforestation, soil compaction, and severe woodland disturbance
HabitatsDeciduous and mixed forests, particularly under oak and beech
Life spanFruiting bodies last 4–8 days; mycelial network persists indefinitely
Classification
  1. OrderAgaricales
  2. FamilyCortinariaceae
  3. GenusCortinarius
  4. SpeciesCortinarius iodes
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Many edible mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Spore Print: Place a mature cap gill-side down on white paper overnight to view the rusty brown spores.
  • Cap Slime: Touch the viscid cap with a dry leaf to confirm the presence of its thick gelatinous slime layer.
  • Habitat Scouting: Search damp leaf litter around mature oak and beech trees two to three days after heavy late-summer rains.
Related species
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