Cortinarius armillatus, commonly known as the red-banded cort or bracelet cortinarius, is a species of fungus found in North America. Sometimes reported as edible, it may resemble poisonous species and itself contains a mycotoxin.
Elias Magnus Fries described the species in 1838.
The cap is wide, orangish-brown, bun to bell-shaped then flattening out, and sometimes developing small scales. The gills are tan when young, then rusty brown. They are somewhat close, and shallowly sinuate. The spore print is rusty brown.
The tannish stem is up to long and thick; it is usually wider at the base and has 1âÂÂ5 reddish bands. The flesh is light brown and its scent mild to radish-like.
It resembles C. bolaris, C. boulderensis, C. haematochelis, C. paragaudis, C. rubicundulus, and C. subtestaceus. Some species in the genus contain the mycotoxin orellanine, which can be deadly.
It can be found from August to September under birch trees in North America (especially the northeast) and in Europe.
The species has been considered edible and mediocre to good, with caution advised to confirm its identification. Some guides consider it inedible, and it has been found to contain orellanine, though at much lower concentrations than the lethal webcaps.
When dyeing cloths, without added metals, it discharges pink, with tin yellow, with copper green and with iron dyes.