Species of Cortinarius subgenus Leprocybe, sections Orellani and Limonei, in North America

Descriptions and a key are provided to seven species of Cortinarius subg. Leprocybe, sect. Orellani and Limonei, that are found in North America, namely C. callisteus (synonym C. croceocolor), C. distans var. olympianus, C. gentilis (synonym C. confusus), C. limoneus (synonym C. whiteae), C. morrisii, C. rainierensis, and C. speciosissimus. Of these, C. rainierensis and C. speciosissimus were previously shown to contain the nephrotoxin orellanine. Reports of C. orellanus from North America were based on misidentifications of C. uliginosus or similar species of subg. Dermocybe. There are no apparent morphological features to distinguish C. speciosissimus, which has been found in eastern North America, from C. rainierensis, which is known only from the state of Washington in western North America, or from C. orellanoides, which was described from France. Since morphological characters were found for the distinction of sibling species discovered by biochemical and genetic studies in other genera, including A...