Cortinarius comptulus

A small to medium sized web cap with a grey brown or red-brown cap (15 - 50 cm in diameter) which has fine white or grey squamules that are most conspicuous in young specimens. Caps have a distinct umbo that is occasionally rather pointed. The stem is usually white or pale at first with a belt of veil tissue that may be inconspicuous. Spores are quite small, 6 - 7 microns in diameter, and almost spherical in shape (see photo), a useful microscopic character. It is a species of conifer woodlands, occuring especially with spruce. It is easily confused with or missed for other species, but it is probably widespread in Sitka Spruce forests in West Glamorgan, although there are few records.