Cortinarius praestans
Cortinarius praestans (Cordier) Gillet
Cortinariaceae
Conservation status. Critically Endangered [CR B2ab(i,ii,iii)]. BDA.
Morphology and biology. Fruit-body at first hemispherical, covered by a gossamery cortina. Cap semi-globose to umbonate or flat, 10–20 cm in diameter, violet chestnut brown, red brown to chocolate brown, grey violet towards the periphery, viscid, with large fibrillose cortina remains; margin wrinkled. Gills notched, dense, whitish to pale brown or rusty brown. Stipe cylindrical or conversely clavate, slightly thickened at base, 8–15 × 2–5 cm, grey-violet to pale ochre, with fibrillose areas below. Flesh dense, white. Spores ellipsoid, 12–18 × 8–9 µm, yellow-brown, verrucose. IX–XI.
Habitats and populations. Mainly on limestone, on the ground in deciduous, mixed, and coniferous forests. Since 1979, the species has been recorded only once. In September 2005, three groups consisting of 12, 20, and 17 fruit-bodies, respectively, were found near Vladaya, Vitosha Mt.
Distribution in Bulgaria. Vitosha Region (Vitosha Mt – near Bistritsa and Vladaya), Sredna Gora Mts (Lozenska Mt – Durvodeletsa locality, near Kokalyane village).
General distribution. Europe.
Threats. Habitat loss/degradation caused by logging, development of tourism and recreation, fires; soil pollution.
Conservation measures taken. Species whose habitats need priority protection according to the national Biological Diversity Act. Included in the Red List of Fungi in Bulgaria. Several localities are within the borders of Vitosha Nature Park and in sites of the European ecological network Natura 2000 in Bulgaria.
Conservation measures needed. Study of the population numbers and range; better understanding of the species biology and ecology; conservation of the habitats; regular monitoring.
References. Hinkova & Stoichev 1983; Gyosheva et al. 2000, 2006.
Author: Melania Gyosheva
