In a High Weald churchyard

I returned to one of the churchyard sites that I visited with the Natural England Field Unit for the High Weald Waxcap Survey, on Monday.

I found another Pink Waxcap Porpolomopsis calyptriformis in the same spot where we'd found them previously, in perfect condition. Swoon!

As well as a fresh crop of Parrot Waxcaps Gliophorus psittacinus in same spot where we'd had them before, there were at least two more patches on the south side of the church. I do love these lubricous little characters.

Nearby I found a solitary and slightly sad-looking fruit body lying the grass. A waxcap, I presume, but the decurrent gills made me think this must be something different from the nearby Parrots.

I brought it home for a closer look. The stem seems dry to me, but that might be because it's a bit old.

Looking in 'The genus Hygrocybe (2nd revised edition)' by Boertmann, I see there are several yellow species with decurrent gills, including H. ceracea and H. insipidia (and H. vitellina, but I think I can rule that one out, as it has a distinctive viscid gill edge).

I was hoping the spores would clinch it. They're 6.5-7 x 3.5-4 microns, Q = 1.6-2.1. Which is within range for both H. ceracea and H. insipidia. Boertmann notes that H. ceracea is characterised microscopically by "narrow, usually constricted spores". Well...

Spores. 1000x magnification in water.

Spores. 1000x magnification in water.

Don't feel confident enough to call this one!
Possibly also worth noting that after two days sitting on the side in my spare room, it's started to turn grey where it's been handled.


I suspect this mushroom is also a 'good one'.

The spores are 4.5-5.5 x 3.7-4.2 microns, Q = 1.2-1.3. They are also inamyloid.

Spores. 1000x magnification in water.

I'm thinking this must be Crazed Cap Dermoloma cuneifolium?



Not sure where to start with this one. Brown, hygrophanous cap.

Gill attachment adnexed (?). The white gills have gone a slightly yellowish grey-brown with age. White spore print.

The spores are a bit difficult to make out. The handful I've measured were 5.4-6.2 x 3.7-4.8 microns.

Here they are in Melzers.

Spores at 400x magnification, in Melzers reagent.

I'm wondering if I've got a Lyophyllum of some kind...


Finally I had this slender clitocyboid type thing, which has a white spore print. Stuck on this one!

For the record
Date: 12/11/2018

Records to be submitted to SxBRC for High Weald Waxcap Project