Cortinarius robustianomalus T. Z. Wei, M. L. Xie & Y. Li 2025, sp. nov.

Cortinarius robustianomalus T.Z. Wei, M.L. Xie & Y. Li, sp. nov. MB 843751. Figs 4A, B, 6M, 7M. Etymology: The name refers to sect. Anomali species with robust habit. Typus: China, Sichuan Province, Li County, Miyaluo, Jiabigou, in mixed forest of Abies, Picea and Betula, alt. 2832 m, 10 Aug. 2016, T.Z. Wei, L.H. Sun, Z.X. Wu & R.C. Zhang (holotype HMAS 254763). Pileus 80–150 mm diam., convex when young, later plane to convex, sometimes depressed at centre, margin wavy and up-curved in mature basidiomata, surface not viscid, weakly hygrophanous when wet, with greyish fibrillose, somewhat wrinkled, at first olive brown, then brownish orange to brown at the centre, paler at the margin, dull. Lamellae emarginate, moderately crowded, greyish violet to violet when young, greyish orange to brown with age, edges even at first, then somewhat uneven. Stipe 110–190 mm long, 14–45 mm thick, cylindrical, surface greyish fibrillose, bluish tinges at the apex, basal mycelium whitish. Universal veil greyish, forming fibrils on pileus and thin ring on the stipe. Context fleshy, somewhat marbled watery when moist, hollow in the stipe, whitish, with violet tinges, especially at the stipe apex. Odour radish. Taste mild. Basidiospores (7.4–)8.0–9.0(–9.5) × 6.5–8.1 μm, Q = 1.07–1.23, Xav. = 8.4–8.5 × 7.2–7.3 μm, Qav. = 1.16–1.17, subgloboid to broadly ellipsoid, weakly to moderately and sharply verrucose. Basidia clavate, 4-spored, hyaline to subhyaline, rarely yellowish to yellowish brown. Lamellar edge fertile. Pileipellis duplex: epicutis thinly developed, hyphae somewhat interwoven, yellowish brown, 3–10 μm wide, smooth to slightly encrusted; hypocutis well developed, hyphae 16–38 μm wide, cylindrical to somewhat cellular, hyaline to slightly yellowish brown. Clamp connections present. Ecology and distribution: Gregarious to fascicular in mixed forests of Abies, Picea and Betula. Known from Sichuan of China. Additional specimens examined: China, Sichuan Province, Li County, Miyaluo, Jiabigou, in mixed forest of Abies, Picea and Betula, alt. 2832 m, 10 Aug. 2016, T.Z. Wei, L.H. Sun, Z.X. Wu & R.C. Zhang, HMAS 254764. Notes: Cortinarius robustianomalus is a distinctive species that has very robust basidiomata, a dully olive tinged and wavy pileus, a cylindrical stipe, and a greyish universal veil. The context is very thick in the pileus and hollow in the stipe. Bluish tinges are only present in the lamellae and stipe apex. The sister species of C. robustianomalus is C. rufolilacinus from which it differs by five substitutions and indel positions in nrITS region, with a similarity of 99.2 %. Cortinarius rufolilacinus usually has a dull reddish lilac pileus and a violet universal veil, but without olive tinges.