Hygrocybe laeta - Heath Waxcap

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

This little orange-brown waxcap is a frequent find on cropped grassland, particularly among mosses on moorland. The cap is markedly striate across two thirds of its diameter.

Heath Waxcaps often occur in quite large clusters in mossy moorland that is continually grazed to a short sward by sheep or ponies. These small, thin-fleshed mushrooms are reported to be inedible - but who would want to eat waxcaps rather than enjoy their beauty?

Identification Guide

	Cap The 1.5 to 3.5cm diameter domed cap is orange-brown, hemispherical at first but gradually flattening. Deep striations cover the outer two-thirds of the cap, and the margin becomes slightly toothed with age.
	Gills At first pale grey but turning salmon pink as the fruitbody ages, the gills are slightly decurrent.
Stem	Level; no ring; colour as the cap or slightly paler.
Spore print	White.
Odour/taste	Not distinctive.
Habitat	Closely cropped or mown grassland where artificial fertilisers are not spread.
Season	August to November.
Occurrence	Infrequent.
Similar species	Hygrocybe pratensis is similar in colour but a much bigger and more robust waxcap.