About Cortinarius sanguineus (Wulfen) Gray
The cap of Cortinarius sanguineus is dark blood-red. It starts convex before flattening out, and measures 2–5 centimetres (3⁄4–2 inches) wide, with a covering of silky fibres. The stipe matches the cap in colour, is cylindrical in shape, and grows 4–10 cm long and 3–8 mm thick. The cortina (veil) and any remnants of it are red. The purple-red flesh has a fair to pleasant scent. The gills are adnate; they are initially blood-red, and turn brown as spores mature. The spore print is rust-coloured. The spores are oval, rough, and measure 7 to 9 μm by 4 to 6 μm. Cortinarius sanguineus grows in conifer woodlands during autumn. There is conflicting information on its edibility: it has been described as inedible, of unknown edibility, or edible. The pigment produced by this species can be used as a dye for wool, creating shades of pink, purple, or red. The major pigments found in C. sanguineus are emodin, dermocybin, and dermorubin.
