Violet webcaps Cortinarius spec.
poisonous
They have a cobweb-like veil and a rust-brown spore print.
View on the mapIdentification in 5 steps
The sordid blewit is a small, pale lilac to brownish violet relative of the wood blewit. It forms fairy rings in gardens, meadows and along paths.
SeasonAugust to November
Spore printpale pink
FamilyTricholomataceae
- Cap. The cap is 3 to 8 cm wide, lilac to grey-brown violet, often with a hump.
- Underside. The gills are lilac.
- Stem, ring and volva. The stem is lilac to brownish. There is no ring, no volva and no cobweb-like veil.
- Smell and taste. It smells faintly sweetish.
- Flesh and colour change. The flesh is pale lilac.
Lookalikes
No German Wikipedia article; information provisional. Risk of confusion with violet webcaps.
Wood blewit Lepista nuda
edible
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It is larger and sturdier.
View on the mapHabitat & Season
Nutrient-rich soils. Lower altitudes.
Host trees
No fixed tree partner; gardens, meadows, path edges.
Season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
possible good main season
Mushroom regions with a daily forecast
There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.
Chance near you
How good are the chances of finding this species where you are right now? We calculate it from weather, soil moisture, altitude and forest at your location.
Safety
Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. For experienced foragers only: follow the restrictions, and if in doubt, do not eat it.
Advice for your country
Ireland
Poison centre:
National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166
Emergency: 112 · 999
Germany
Poison centre:
Emergency: 112
Mushroom advice: DGfM: find a mushroom expert. Certified mushroom experts of the German Mycological Society (DGfM).
Collecting rules: Mushrooms that are not specially protected may be collected in small quantities for personal use unless a protected area or ban applies. Certain specially protected edible species (e.g. cep, chanterelle, birch bolete) may be collected in small quantities for personal use.
Austria
Poison centre:
Vergiftungsinformationszentrale (VIZ)01 406 43 43
Emergency: 112 · 144
Mushroom advice: Austrian Mycological Society (ÖMG): mushroom advice. Mushroom advice by the Austrian Mycological Society or regional services such as municipal market offices.
Collecting rules: At most 2 kg of mushrooms per person per day unless the forest owner has prohibited collecting; organised collecting events are prohibited. Additional state rules apply (collecting hours, closed seasons), e.g. Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg.
Conservation and collecting rules
Not specially protected.
No species-specific rule known.
Red List Germany: Least concern
In the kitchen
As for wood blewit. Cook thoroughly.
Possible. Edibility.
- Never eat wild mushrooms raw, and always cook them for at least 15 minutes.
- Use only young, fresh, maggot-free and reliably identified specimens.
- Carry mushrooms in an airy basket, not in plastic bags, and prepare them the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Sordid blewit: is it edible?
Only with restrictions. No German Wikipedia article; information provisional. Risk of confusion with violet webcaps. Cook thoroughly.
Sordid blewit: when and where does it grow?
The season in central Europe runs from August to November. Tree partner and habitat: No fixed tree partner; gardens, meadows, path edges. Soil: Nutrient-rich soils. Altitude: Lower altitudes.
Sordid blewit: what are the lookalikes?
The most important distinction is from Violet webcaps (Cortinarius spp., poisonous): They have a cobweb-like veil and a rust-brown spore print. Other lookalikes: wood blewit.
Related species
- Wood blewit Lepista nuda
- Tawny funnel cap Paralepista flaccida
- Blue green anise mushroom Clitocybe odora
- Dark-scaled knight Tricholoma atrosquamosum
- Grey knight Tricholoma terreum
- Yellowing knight Tricholoma scalpturatum
Sources
- Collybia sordida (Wikipedia EN)
- GBIF: Lepista sordida (Schumach.) Singer
- Index Fungorum Record 299524
- Rote-Liste-Zentrum: Großpilze Deutschlands (Dämmrich et al. 2016)
- ÖMG: Pilzschutzbestimmungen in Österreich (Stand 29.01.2021)
- RIS: Forstgesetz 1975 § 174
- DGfM: Giftpilze und Pilzvergiftungen
- DGfM: Giftnotrufe in Deutschland, Europa und der Schweiz
- Gesundheitsportal Österreich: Vergiftung durch Pilze, VIZ 01 406 43 43
Photo credits
- Photo: Mushroom Observer · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Violet webcaps: Photo: Bernypisa · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wood blewit: Photo: G (Mushroom Observer) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.