Cortinarius violaceus features a dry, deep purple scaly cap and a dry, finely hairy stem, both of which are deep purple until they mature, they then will slowly turn brown. This is a fungus found mainly in coniferous woods, but also occasionally even in the presence of broad-leaved trees (mostly in Europe) and prefers moist and muscular areas and a basically calcareous substratum; not very common but abundant in growth areas. The period of growth goes from summer to late autumn.
This mushroom can be found in most of North America, but it is rare in most places but does show up as common in some areas. Vancouver Island has many of these beautiful purple mushrooms, my last sighting had over 50 separate individuals growing in a small area, was a beautiful sight to see.
Although these mushrooms are edible, Cortinarius Violaceas are quite bitter after cooking, so I would say just enjoy their beauty and let them stay in the ground when you see them.
There are studies going on now as to the quality of medicine contained in these mushrooms. It would seem that in tests done on white mice, there are anti-cancer qualities. More test needs to be done yet.