Ten identification units in Cortinarius are keyed out separately.

• Cortinarius australiensis is massive and has an annulus.

• Cortinarius canarius is bright yellow with spores that are very finely ornamented, and can appear smooth.

• Cortinarius fibrillosus is unusual in having very finely warted spores (that can appear smooth).

• Cortinarius mariae has a greenish spore print and finely ornamented spores (that can appear smooth).

• Cortinarius subgenus Cortinarius. Species in this unit have purple fruit-bodies with very dark lamellae at maturity and the spores can have a plage.

• Cortinarius subgenus Dermocybe. The pileus is often brightly coloured (red, yellow or orange) and reacts strongly to KOH, while the lower stipe is often banded.

• Cortinarius subgenus Myxacium. The pileus and stipe are glutinous on fresh fruit-bodies.

• Cortinarius morphogroup Cuphocybe. The pileus is squamulose.

• Cortinarius morphogroup Rozites. There is a well-developed annulus.

• Cortinarius (other) covers the remaining Australian species of this diverse genus.

Cortinarius (Pers.) Gray, Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl. 1: 627 (1821).

Cuphocybe R.Heim, Dermocybe (Fr.) Wünsche, Rapacea E.Horak, Rozites P.Karst.