The fungi of the Dermocybe group, commonly known as skin-heads, form a group within the huge genus Cortinarius. They are generally considered to be a subgenus though some authorities consider them to form a genus in their own right. They can be distinguished from other Cortinarius species by: 1. * their brilliant colours, especially of the gills, 2. * their non-hygrophanous dry cap, and 3. * their dry cylindrical (non-bulbous) stem. The Austrian Professor Meinhard Moser (1924-2002), whose book is referenced, was one of the authorities who promote Dermocybe to the status of a genus.