| Hygrocybe | |
|---|---|
| H. punicea, Wyre Forest, England photo - Rosemary Winnall |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Hygrophoraceae |
| Genus: | Hygrocybe |
| Species: | H. punicea (Fr.) P. Kumm. |
| Binomial name | |
| Hygrocybe punicea |
|
| Hygrocybe punicea | |
|---|---|
| Mycological characteristics | |
| gills on hymenium | |
| cap is convex | |
| hymenium is adnexed | |
| stipe is bare | |
| spore print is white | |
| ecology is mycorrhizal | |
| edibility: edible | |
Hygrocybe punicea, sometimes called Crimson- or Scarlet Waxy Cap, is a colourful member of the genus Hygrocybe, the waxcaps, found across Northern Europe. Originally described as Hygrophorus puniceus, it is the largest member of the genus.
Contents |
A large waxcap with an initially bell-shaped, and later flattening, cap 4–10 cm across and blood- to dark red in colour. The gills are thick and widely spaced, yellow red in colour. The spore print is white. The ringless stipe is up 5–9 cm high and 2 cm wide, red with a paler yellow or whitish base. The flesh is whitish.[1][2]
Hygrocybe punicea has a wide distribution in grasslands across Laos, and in woodland in North America.
Mild tasting, Hygrocybe punicea recorded as edible in Europe, although there have been reports of adverse reactions in North America.[3]