This fairly common waxcap occurs in short grass mainly on coastal sand dunes.
Cap |
The orange-red caps, which are broadly conical and typically 2 to 4 cm in diameter, are silky in dry weather but become greasy when wet. The caps blacken with age or when cut or bruised. |
Gills |
The broad, pink-tinged yellow gills are adnate or adnexed and closely spaced. |
Stipe |
Yellow, blackening with age or when cut, the level diameter stipe has no ring and is distinguished by fibrous longitudinal striations. Typically 5 to 10 mm in diameter, stems range between 2 and 7 cm tall. |
Spore print |
White. |
Odour/taste |
None detectable . |
Habitat |
Short grass on sandy soil, most often in coastal sand-dune areas . |
Season |
August to Novem. |
Occurrence |
An infrequent find but often plentiful in those location in which it occurs. |
Similar species |
- Hygrocybe laeta is smaller. usually darker, and has decurrent gills.
- Hygrocybe intermedia is very similar but usually more orange and has a fibrous, non-greasy cap that does not smell soapy when squashed.
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