Distinctive features of a cap-shaped hygrocybe
The diameter of the cap varies from 2 to 6 centimeters. A young mushroom has a pointed-shaped cap, in fact, thanks to this, the name came about. Over time, the shape of the cap becomes more sloping, and in mature mushrooms it spreads completely.
At first, the color of the mushroom is quite bright: coral-red, terracotta, wine-brown, orange, and at the end of the season the mushroom fades and becomes light pink. The central part of the cap is much lighter, even whitish. The surface can be sticky or dry. The edges are clearly serrated.
The pulp is pink, thin, and quickly falls apart in the hands. The plates are attached to the stem with the help of teeth. Their colors are mostly light, pale pink. They can be located frequently or infrequently.
The stem of this family of mushrooms can be quite long and reach 16 centimeters. But often there are cap-shaped hygrocybes with short legs that do not exceed 2 centimeters. The leg has a small thickness - only 1 centimeter, so it is very fragile. The surface of the leg is completely smooth, without roughness. The leg is firmly fixed in the substrate. Its shape can be ovoid or elliptical. The spore sac is white or light cream.
Spreading cap-shaped hygrocybe
These mushrooms originally became known in Europe, North America and Japan. Most often, cap-shaped hygrocybe grow in groups, and separately growing specimens are rare.
These mushrooms grow in humus and soil, they prefer rich soil. They can be found in mixed and coniferous forests. Cap-shaped hygrocybe is a moderately common type of mushroom.
Edible hygrocybe cap-shaped
The cap-shaped hygrocybe is considered an edible species, but mushroom pickers collect it quite rarely, since it does not differ in special taste, there is also no smell.
Related species
- Hygrocybe scarlet, she is also hygrocybe red, has a variable color from bright scarlet to pale orange. These mushrooms grow in meadows, meeting from late summer to late autumn. Scarlet hygrocybe is not popular as an edible species, but it is a non-poisonous mushroom;
- Hygrocybe wax is a bright orange mushroom. They grow singly or in small groups. The distribution area covers Europe and North America. The wax hygrocybe is inedible, but, most likely, non-toxic, since no cases of poisoning have been recorded;
- Oak hygrocybe has a yellow-orange color. The growing places of these mushrooms are deciduous and mixed forests, most often they are found near oak trees. The mushroom is not poisonous, but has no nutritional value;
- Hygrocybe cinnabar red is distinguished by cinnabar red color. It grows in mossy and grassy places, in glades, meadows and wetlands. Occurs from July to August. The opinions of mushroom pickers differ on the nutritional qualities of this mushroom, some claim that it is an inedible mushroom, and others that they can be eaten, but they have no practical significance;
- The conical hygrocybe is characterized by a yellowish, orange and in some places reddish color. These mushrooms grow mainly in young rare plantings and along roads, and in forests they are more rare. They bear fruit from May to October. The conical hygrocybe is not suitable for eating, as it can provoke an upset stomach. It is considered a slightly poisonous mushroom;
- The beautiful hygrocybe has a very varied color: light wine-gray, lilac-gray, olive, red-red and red-orange, sometimes it can be pinkish and greenish. These mushrooms are widespread in South America, North America, Europe and Japan. They grow in groups on humus, meeting in coniferous and mixed forests;
- Crimson hygrocybe is distinguished by its crimson or red color. Turning into orange. These fungi are ubiquitous in humid, open areas. It is a good-tasting edible mushroom that can be fried and canned;
- Hygrocybe turunda is a bright red inedible mushroom found in summer and autumn;
- Hygrocybe acutely conical is characterized by a yellow-orange or yellow color. Grows in meadows and pastures of various types. Fruiting time is in summer and autumn. These are inedible mushrooms, as they contain toxic substances.
Description of the conical hygrocybe
The diameter of the cap is 2-9 centimeters. Young mushrooms are characterized by a cone-shaped pointed cap, and in adulthood, the shape of the cap becomes wide-conical, while a tubercle remains in the middle. The cap most often breaks at the edges. The surface of the cap is fine-fibred, very smooth. In rainy weather, the hat becomes shiny, slightly sticky, and in dry weather, the hat is silky and shiny.
The color of the cap is red-yellow or orange-red, while the tubercle is always much brighter. In old age, mushrooms become darker. If you press on the cap, it also becomes darker.
The leg is even and almost straight, only in the lower part there is a slight thickening. Inside, the leg is hollow, the structure is fine-fiber. The color of the stem is yellow or orange, and whitish at the base. The leg is not covered with mucus.
The conical hygrocybe plates can be located freely or, on the contrary, can be tightly attached to the cap. The edges of the plates widen slightly. The color of the plates is yellowish, but becomes grayish with age. When pressed on the plates, they turn grayish-yellow. The pulp is thin and fragile. The color of the pulp matches the color of the leg. When pressed on the pulp, it turns black. The taste and smell of the pulp are not expressed. Spore white powder. The spores are ellipsoidal, smooth and colorless. Buckled hyphae.
Places of growth of a conical hygrocybe
These mushrooms are found mostly in rare young plantings. Most often they can be found along the roads and in the moorlands. In addition, the conical hygrocybe grows in grassy places: in pastures, glades, meadows. In forests, these mushrooms are much less common. These mushrooms begin to bear fruit in May and continue until October.
The toxicity of the conical hygrocybe
The conical hygrocybe is considered a weakly poisonous mushroom. It is not recommended to eat this type of mushrooms, as these mushrooms can cause eating disorders.
