Date waxcap  (Hygrocybe spadicea)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Description

Waxcaps are a group of fungi that have thick gills, watery flesh and a waxy texture (5). This waxcap has a brown, chestnut or coffee-coloured cap, which is slightly flattened but conical at first, becoming increasingly flattened in older specimens (2). The gills and the stem ('stipe') are bright yellow. The flesh is lemon yellow or yellowish white in colour, and the generic name Hygrocybe means 'moist head' (6).

WARNING: many species of fungus are poisonous or contain chemicals that can cause sickness. Never pick and eat any species of fungus that you cannot positively recognise or are unsure about. Some species are deadly poisonous and can cause death within a few hours if swallowed.

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