Hygrophorus discoxanthus

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Hygrophorus discoxanthus

25 August 2021 East Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin.

Common Name

Yellowing Woodwax

Cap

Convex, expanding with age, sometimes centrally depressed, white when young, then yellowish, margin becoming ochraceous then dark brown, smooth when dry, slimy when moist, about 4 to 8 cm across

Gills

Adnate to subdecurrent, broad, whitish, then tinged yellow, brown when dry

Stem

Cylindrical, sometimes flattened, tapered towards the base, whitish, slimy when moist, fibrillose when dry, coarsely scaly at apex

Flesh

White

Smell

Pleasant, sweetish to mushroomy

Taste

Indistinct to slightly fungal

Season

Late summer to early winter

Distribution

Frequent in southern and western England, rarely reported in Wales and Scotland, widespread

Habitat

On soil in woods with beech

Spore Print

White

Microscopic Features

Spores ellipsoidal, smooth (7-9) x (5-6) µm2. Basidia club shaped, mostly 4 spored.

Edibility

Edible

Notes

All parts turn dark brown when exposed to KOH solution.

Hygrophorus discoxanthus

A fruiting body a few minutes after KOH solution was applied to the cap, gills and stem. 25 August 2021 East Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin.

Hygrophorus discoxanthus

Spores in Melzer's solution viewed with a x100 immersion objective. 25 August 2021 East Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin.