The holotype was collected by Andy Nilsen in 2017 near Harwoods Hole in the Abel Tasman National Park, in the north-west of the South Island, New Zealand.

The hymenophore locules are up to 3 mm long, ellipsoid in shape and coloured brown, attached to the upper section of the stipe then becoming free.

The stipe ranges from 25 to 80 mm long and 7 to 12 mm wide, centrally attached, equal to tapering, white to pale violet in colour with longitudinal striations, occasionally with tufts toward the base.

Neither the cuticle of the pileus nor the stipe exhibit a colour change upon application of potassium hydroxide.

Cortinarius violaceocystidiatus is unique in Section Cuphomorphi in being secotioid, whereas the other two species C. cuphomorphus and C. juglandaceus are both agaricoid.