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FAMILY: Hygrophoraceae
CAP: Up to 2 in. wide; dark orangish red, fading to bright yellowish orange, paler at the margin; conic, becoming convex to nearly flat, with a low, broad umbo; surface bald or with small scales, moist but not tacky or slimy
FLESH: White; thin; waxy; odor and taste not distinctive
GILLS: Lavender to purplish or yellowish orange in age; attached to subdecurrent; subdistant; waxy; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 3 in. long; yellow to orangish red, base with whitish or violet tints; equal or enlarged downward; hollow; often compressed; surface bald, moist, but not viscid
SPORE PRINT: White
ECOLOGY: Considered to be saprobic, but recent studies indicate a possible association with mosses and other plants; gregarious to scattered on the ground, on well-decayed wood, and in moss in broadleaf and mixed woods; summer and fall; uncommon
EDIBILITY: Unknown
COMMENTS: The combination of a reddish-orange cap and purplish gills make this a distinctive and striking species.
Hygrocybe purpureofolia
Photo by William Roody
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hygrocybe appalachianensis (Hesler and A. H. Sm.) Kronaw
SYNONYM: Hygrophorus appalachianensis Hesler and A. H. Sm.
COMMON NAME: Appalachian Wax Cap
FAMILY: Hygrophoraceae
CAP: Up to 2-1/2 in. wide; bright red to deep purplish red, fading to orangish yellow, often with a pale margin; convex to flat, with a depressed center; margin turned under at first, with a yellow edging; surface moist, not viscid, not striate, fibrillose to minutely scaly
FLESH: Yellow tinged orange; odor and taste not distinctive
GILLS: Colored like the cap with yellowish edges; attached to subdecurrent; subdistant to distant; fairly broad; edges even or slightly saw toothed; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 3 in. long; mostly colored like the cap, base yellowish; equal; hollow; compressed at times; surface bald, not viscid
SPORE PRINT: White
ECOLOGY: Considered to be saprobic, but recent studies indicate a possible association with mosses and other plants; gregarious to scattered on the ground, in litter, and in moss; summer and fall; locally common
EDIBILITY: Unknown
COMMENTS: This striking species is aptly named because it is more common in the Appalachian mountain region than any other area. The red stem, at times purplish-red cap, and the yellow gill edges set it apart.
Hygrocybe appalachianensis
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hygrocybe minutula (Peck) Murrill
SYNONYM: Gliophorus minutulus (Peck) Kovalenko
COMMON NAME: None
FAMILY: Hygrophoraceae
CAP: Up to 3/4 in. wide; scarlet to reddish orange, fading to yellow or orangish yellow in age, not staining black; convex to broadly convex, becoming nearly flat in age; surface glutinous to viscid, bald, obscurely translucent striate at times
FLESH: Colored like the cap or paler; not staining when exposed; thin, fragile; odor and taste not distinctive
GILLS: Yellowish orange or pale orange; attached to the stem or pulling away, with a decurrent tooth; close to subdistant; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 2 in. long; reddish or yellowish, often paler near the base; equal or tapered downward; fragile; at times constricted and hollow in age; surface bald, viscid, or glutinous
SPORE PRINT: White
ECOLOGY: Probably symbiotic with mosses and possibly other plants; scattered to gregarious in moss, humus, or soil, often in grassy areas under broadleaf trees; late spring, summer, and early fall; uncommon
EDIBILITY: Not edible
COMMENTS: Collecting this fragile mushroom intact requires care. It is very slippery! Hygrocybe miniata (p. 74) is larger and has a dry to moist cap.
Hygrocybe minutula
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Hygrocybe flavescens (Kauffman) Singer
SYNONYM: Hygrophorus flavescens (Kauffman) A. H. Sm. and Hesler
COMMON NAME: Golden Wax Cap
FAMILY: Hygrophoraceae
CAP: Up to 2-1/2 in wide; orange, yellowish orange, or orange with a yellow margin; convex to broadly convex, becoming flat; viscid when wet; shiny when dry; bald; obscurely translucent striate; margin turned under at first
FLESH: Yellowish; thin; waxy; odor and taste not distinctive
GILLS: Yellow, white, or pale yellow; notched or occasionally broadly attached to the stem; broad; close to subdistant; waxy; edges even; no partial veil
STEM: Up to 2-1/2 in. long; pale yellow, yellow, orange, usually paler at the base; equal or slightly tapered at the base; often compressed; fragile, splitting easily; surface moist but not viscid
SPORE PRINT: White
ECOLOGY: Considered to be saprobic, but recent studies indicate a possible association with mosses and other plants; gregarious to scattered on the ground, well-decayed wood, and in moss in broadleaf and mixed woods; summer and fall; common
EDIBILITY: Not recommended; reported as edible by some authors, but there are also reports of digestive upsets; even if edible, its thin, waxy flesh does not make it appealing as an esculent
COMMENTS: This is one of the first Hygrocybe species to appear in late spring or early summer. Hygrocybe chlorophana (p.
