Summary:
Section Obtusi (used to be in Subgenus Telamonia but not closely related). Cortinarius fasciatus is a member of the Cortinarius obtusus group (small, slender-stemmed, thin-fleshed, brown Telamonias) which also includes Cortinarius acutus, C. impolitus, C. obtusus, C. scandens, and C. pulcher. Cortinarius fasciatus is characterized by clustered growth, a sharp conic umbo, and red-brown cap, gills and stem. Breitenbach(5) describes Cortinarius fasciatus Fr. sensu Arnold non Bres., spores 8.6-11.7 x 5-6.7 microns, and gives it as a synonym Cortinarius fulvescens Fr. sensu Favre, Moser, Moen-Loc., and also describes Cortinarius fulvescens Fr. sensu Arnold non sensu Favre, Moser, spores 6.4-8.6 x 4-5.5 microns, and gives it as a synonym Cortinarius fasciatus Fr. sensu Bres., Lge., Moser, Moen-Loc. The description here is derived from Smith(12) except where indicated.

Cap:
1-2cm across, sharply conic to cuspidate [pointed] becoming conic - bell-shaped to early nearly flat but retaining sharp conic umbo; hygrophanous, dull chestnut brown fading to pale sordid yellowish brown; bald or with a few fibrils along margin from cortina, margin translucent-striate

Flesh:
thin; colored as cap

Gills:
ascending adnate to hooked, close to subdistant, rather broad (0.25cm); "auburn" (Ridgway(1) color) when young, "becoming paler and near ochraceous tawny at maturity"; edges even

Stem:
2-3cm x 0.15-0.3cm, equal, colored as cap (dull chestnut brown) or paler at top; with a few scattered fibrils from cortina but soon becoming bald

Veil:
cortina present

Taste:
not recorded

Microscopic spores:
spores 7-9(10) x 4.5-5 microns, slightly inequilateral, rough, pale yellowish brown; basidia 4-spored, purplish fuscous in KOH, (Smith), spores 6.4-8.6 x 4-5.5 microns, elliptic, weakly to moderately verrucose, light ocher; basidia 4-spored, 23-28 x 6.5-8 microns, clavate, with basal clamp connection, some with brown, granular contents; no pleurocystidia, marginal cells 15-30 x 5-7.5 microns, cylindric to clavate; cap cuticle of periclinal hyphae 5-10 microns wide, colorless to light brown, in part lightly encrusted, septa with clamp connections, (Breitenbach)

Spore deposit:
[presumably a shade of brown]

Notes:
Cortinarius fasciatus was found in WA by A.H. Smith in 1941 but recent status needs review. There are collection from BC labeled Cortinarius fasciatus at the University of British Columbia.

EDIBILITY