Mushroom Observer: Name: Cortinarius caperatus (Pers.) Fr.
Name: Cortinarius caperatus (Pers.) Fr.
Deprecated Synonyms: Rozites caperatus (Per.) Karst., Agaricus caperatus Pers., Dryophila caperata (Pers.) Quél., Pholiota caperata (Pers.) Gillet, Rozites caperatus (Pers.) P. Karst., Togaria caperata (Pers.) W.G. Sm.
See Peintner et.al Mycotaxon 83: 447-451.
This species (and all Rozites) belong in Cortinarius. If you maintain it in Rozites, the correct spelling is R. caperatus not R. caperata.
This beautiful and distinct mushroom will be treated as "Rozites caperata" in many older field guides, but DNA studies (see below) have determined that it is actually a Cortinarius. The species can be recognized by its colors; the pasted-Kleenex texture of its young cap surface; its thick, white ring; and its rusty brown spore print.
Cortinarius caperatus is often given the common name "Gypsy Mushroom," for reasons I cannot discover. The species was originally named in Europe, but when I conjure up memories of European gypsies I have seen in Portugal and Greece, no immediate parallels come to mind. Maybe I am just missing something . . .
Microscopic Features: Spores 10-15 × 7-10 µ; ellipsoid or nearly amygdaliform; moderately verrucose. Cheilo- and pleurocystidia absent. Pileipellis a cutis.
Rozites caperata Rozites caperatus, and Pholiota caperata are synonyms.
"Fries was not far wrong," wrote Alexander Smith in 1949, "when he placed Rozites caperata in Cortinarius" (468). Since so many Friesian divisions have been mutilated by genetic analysis, it is nice that Fries's Cortinarius caperatus is once again the correct name for this mushroom—after going through one (human) generation as Pholiota caperata and another generation as Rozites caperata. A 2002 study by Peintner and others vindicated the old Swede (for once), finding Rozites, Cuphocybe, and Rapacia to be synonymous with Cortinarius. A subsequent publication made the taxonomic transfers.