[1] It was described as new to science in 1944 by American mycologist Alexander H. Smith, who called it Cortinarius orichalceus var.

[1] Molecular analysis of the internal transcribed spacer DNA regions demonstrated that this taxon was sufficiently distinct genetically to warrant designation as a species, and it was renamed in 2014 and placed in subgenus Phlegmacium of the Cortinarius genus.

[2] In 2022 the species was transferred from Cortinarius and reclassified as Calonarius luteicolor based on genomic data.

[3] The specific epithet luteicolor refers to yellowish colors of the cap and gills.

[2] The mushroom is found in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States, and British Columbia in Canada.