The Hygrophoraceae are a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. Originally conceived as containing white-spored, thick-gilled agarics, including Hygrophorus and Hygrocybe species, DNA evidence has extended the limits of the family, so it now contains not only agarics, but also basidiolichens and corticioid fungi. Species are thus diverse and are variously ectomycorrhizal, lichenized, associated with mosses, or saprotrophic. The family contains 34 genera and over 1000 species. None is of any great economic importance, though fruit bodies of some Hygrocybe and Hygrophorus species are considered edible and may be collected for sale in local markets.
Hygrophorus is a genus of agarics in the family Hygrophoraceae. Called "woodwaxes" in the UK or "waxy caps" in North America, basidiocarps are typically fleshy, often with slimy caps and lamellae that are broadly attached to decurrent. All species are ground-dwelling and ectomycorrhizal and are typically found in woodland. Around 100 species are recognized worldwide. Fruit bodies of several species are considered edible and are sometimes offered for sale in local markets.
Hygrocybe is a genus of agarics in the family Hygrophoraceae. Called waxcaps in English, basidiocarps are often brightly coloured and have dry to waxy caps, white spores, and smooth, ringless stems. In Europe they are characteristic of old, unimproved grasslands which are a declining habitat, making many Hygrocybe species of conservation concern. Four of these waxcap-grassland species, Hygrocybe citrinovirens, H. punicea, H. spadicea, and H. splendidissima, are assessed as globally "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Elsewhere waxcaps are more typically found in woodlands. Most are ground-dwelling and all are believed to be biotrophs. Around 150 species are recognized worldwide. Fruit bodies of several Hygrocybe species are considered edible and are sometimes offered for sale in local markets.
Camarophyllopsis is a genus of agarics in the family Clavariaceae. Basidiocarps are dull-coloured and have dry caps, rather distant, decurrent lamellae, white spores, and smooth, ringless stems. In Europe species are characteristic of old, unimproved grasslands which are a declining habitat, making them of conservation concern.
Hygrocybe coccinea, sometimes called the scarlet hood, scarlet waxcap or righteous red waxy cap, is a colourful member of the mushroom genusHygrocybe. These waxcaps are found across the Northern Hemisphere from China and Japan to Europe and North America. The small bright red mushroom is a familiar sight in unimproved grasslands in Europe in late summer and autumn, and woodlands in North America in winter.
Alexander Hanchett Smith was an American mycologist known for his extensive contributions to the taxonomy and phylogeny of the higher fungi, especially the agarics.
Hygrocybe virescens, commonly known as the lime-green waxy cap, is a species of agaric mushroom in the family Hygrophoraceae. The lime-green colored mushroom has a limited geographical distribution, having been reported only from California, Washington, and Mexico.
Pseudoomphalina is a genus of fungi in the placed in the family Tricholomataceae for convenience. The genus contains six species that are widespread in northern temperate areas. Pseudoomphalina was circumscribed by Rolf Singer in 1956. Pseudoomphalina was found to be paraphyletic to Neohygrophorus in a molecular phylogenetics study and since Pseudoomphalina is an older name, Neohygrophyorus was synonymized with it. The type species of Neohygrophorus was Neohygrophorus angelesianus, now Pseudoomphalina angelesiana. In earlier classifications based on anatomy prior to DNA sequence-based classifications, its unusual combination of features led taxonomists to independently create two subgenera in two genera: Hygrophorus subg. Pseudohygrophorus and Clitocybe subg. Mutabiles; the latter based on Neohygrophorus angelesianus but described under a new species name which is now placed in synonymy, Clitocybe mutabilis. All species of Pseudoomphalina are united by the presence of clamp-connections in their hyphae, an interwoven gill trama and amyloid spores. Pseudoomphalina angelesiana possesses grey-violaceous pigments that turn red in alkali solutions and lacks filiform, hyphal sterile elements in its hymenium and stipitipellis. These were features used to distinguish it from Pseudoomphalina as a genus, but Pseudoomphalina umbrinopurpurascens possesses these same pigments and the filiform elements of Pseudoomphalina. Molecular phylogenetics studies have also found some former species of Pseudoomphalina to belong in other genera. Pseudoomphalina pachyphylla was moved to its own genus, Pseudolaccaria, and Pseudoomphalina clusiliformis was synonymized with it. Pseudoomphalina flavoaurantia and Pseudoomphalina lignicola were found to belong in Clitocybula. Phylogenetically, Pseudoomphalina is in a tricholomatoid clade but not in the Tricholomataceae.
Hygrophorus agathosmus, commonly known as the gray almond waxy cap or the almond woodwax, is a species of fungus in the family Hygrophoraceae. It was first described by Elias Magnus Fries in 1815; Fries gave it its current name in 1838. A widespread species, it is distributed in the United States, Europe, Africa, and India, and is found growing under spruce and pine in mixed forests. The fruit bodies are characterized by a light grayish cap that measures up to 8 cm (3.1 in) in diameter, waxy gills, a dry stem, and the distinct odor of bitter almonds. An edible but bland-tasting mushroom, extracts of the fruit bodies have been shown in laboratory tests to have antimicrobial activity against various bacteria that are pathogenic to humans.
Hygrophorus bakerensis, commonly known as the Mt. Baker waxy cap, the brown almond waxy cap or the tawny almond waxy cap, is a species of fungus in the family Hygrophoraceae. It is characterized by its medium to large, relatively slender-statured fruit bodies with an almond odor, and growth often on or near rotting conifer wood. The slimy cap is brown in the center and cream to white near its curved edges. The gills and the stem are white, and in moist environments are often covered with droplets of a translucent liquid. The mushroom is known only from the United States, where it is common in coniferous forests throughout the Pacific Northwest. It was initially collected in Washington State on Mount Baker, a volcano. Although edible, the mushroom is not considered to be of high quality.
Lexemuel Ray Hesler was an American mycologist. He was the son of Clinton F. Hesler and Laura Iris. He obtained his B.A. degree with Wabash College in 1911 and his Ph.D. at the University of Cornell in 1914.
Hygrocybe procera is a colourful Hygrocybe (waxcap) fungus. First described as Hygrophorus procerus by Greta Stevenson in 1963, the species was transferred to Hygrocybe in 1971 by Egon Horak. It is only known with certainty from New Zealand.
Gloioxanthomyces vitellinus is a species of agaric in the family Hygrophoraceae. It has been given the recommended English name of Glistening Waxcap. The species has a European distribution, occurring mainly in agriculturally unimproved grassland. Threats to its habitat have resulted in the Glistening Waxcap being assessed as globally "endangered" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Hygrocybe reidii, commonly known as the honey waxcap, is a mushroom of the waxcap genus Hygrocybe. It was published by Robert Kühner in 1976, with the specific epithet honouring British mycologist Derek Reid. It is based on a species originally published as Hygrophorus marchii by Giacomo Bresadola in 1928, but with an insufficiently precise description, which later led to conflicting interpretations about the species concept. In 1969, Reid gave a precise description of the fungus common in Europe, but Kühner had a different interpretation of H. marchii, and gave a new name to Reid's concept of the species.
Hygrocybe splendidissima, is a species of agaric in the family Hygrophoraceae. It has been given the recommended English name of Splendid Waxcap. The species has a European distribution, occurring mainly in agriculturally unimproved grassland. Threats to its habitat have resulted in the species being assessed as globally "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Hygrocybe appalachianensis, commonly known as the Appalachian waxy cap, is a gilled fungus of the waxcap family. It is found in the eastern United States, where it fruits singly, in groups, or clusters on the ground in deciduous and mixed forests. The species, described in 1963 from collections made in the Appalachian Mountains, was originally classified in the related genus Hygrophorus. It was transferred to Hygrocybe in 1998, in which it has been proposed as the type species of section Pseudofirmae.
Cuphophyllus canescens is a species of agaric in the family Hygrophoraceae, known from North America. In its wide sense it has been assessed as globally "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Cuphophyllus lepidopus is a species of agaric in the family Hygrophoraceae. It has been given the recommended English name of scalyfoot waxcap. The species has a European distribution, occurring mainly in agriculturally unimproved grassland. Threats to its habitat have resulted in the species being assessed as globally "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
