The fungi of the ''Dermocybe'' group, commonly known as skin-heads, form a group within the huge genus ''
Cortinarius
''Cortinarius'' is a globally distributed genus of mushrooms in the family Cortinariaceae. It is suspected to be the largest genus of agarics, containing over 2,000 widespread species. A common feature among all species in the genus ''Cortinari ...
''. They are generally considered to be a
subgenus though some authorities consider them to form a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
in their own right.
They can be distinguished from other ''Cortinarius'' species by:
#their brilliant colours, especially of the gills,
#their non-
hygrophanous
The adjective hygrophanous refers to the color change of mushroom tissue (especially the pileus surface) as it loses or absorbs water, which causes the pileipellis to become more transparent when wet and opaque when dry.
When identifying hygroph ...
dry cap, and
#their dry cylindrical (non-bulbous) stem.
An example with a vivid green colour is ''
Dermocybe austroveneta''. Another example is ''D. semisanguinea'' (pictured), which from above is an ordinary brown colour, but which shows a striking blood-red sheen when the underside of the cap is viewed.
Lethal webcaps one of world's most poisonous mushrooms belongs to the group.
The Austrian Professor
Meinhard Moser
Meinhard Michael Moser (13 March 192430 September 2002) was an Austrian mycologist. His work principally concerned the taxonomy, chemistry, and toxicity of the gilled mushrooms (Agaricales), especially those of the genus ''Cortinarius'', and th ...
(1924-2002), whose book is referenced, was one of the authorities who promote ''Dermocybe'' to the status of a genus.
References
*Meinhard Moser: ''Basidiomycetes II: Röhrlinge und Blätterpilze'', Gustav Fischer Verlag Stuttgart (1978). English edition: translated by Simon Plant: ''Keys to Agarics and Boleti'' (Roger Phillips 1983)
Cortinariaceae
{{cortinariaceae-stub