Peter Orton was the British expert on Cortinarius for half a century, inheriting the mantle (and much unpublished material) from A.A.Pearson. This work is based on their joint experience. It was planned as three parts, but only two were ever completed.

Vol 2 provides a comparatively full coverage of the non-hygrophanous Cortinarius, subgenera: Inoloma and Dermocybe (which is now usually treated as a genus). Dermocybe includes some of our most beautiful and striking toadstools.

Available for download from the resources section of the BMS website.

The work begins with a short introduction, followed by the keys. First a key to species, followed by alternative keys to the sections Anomali and Cinnamomei (the latter based primarily on spore size from spore print). The final key is a replacement key to the subgenera (reduced from six in part 1 by sinking Telamonia in Hydropus). Next follows the Summary of Classication, breaking the species into small manageable groups. The main portion of the work, beginning on page 102 (the page numbers are consecutive with vol 1), is a tabulation of the species with their descriptions spread over nine columns (cap, gills, stem, flesh, taste and smell, spores, other microscopical characters, habitat, observations). This is followed by the final entry in the Summary of Classication and a lengthy Index and Notes section which contains many useful notes. At the end are the Latin Diagnoses of 7 new species: C azureovelatus, C. epsomiensis, C. malachoides, C. pearsonii, C. simulatus, C. puniceus, C. sphagneti, although not all of these have stood the test of time.

Despite its age, this is still a very useful work, with Orton’s well thought out keys and a good coverage of species.

Available for download from the resources section of the BMS website.