Scarlet Waxcap

Description:

Similar in appearance to Hygrocybe punicea, H. coccinea has a less fibrous stem and is usually a brighter blood red when in it's prime whilst H. punicea is described as having a dark blood red colour and more distant gills. H. splendidissima is very similar but also has a more fibrous stem, H. spledidissima has a brighter red cap than H. coccinea. The differences and descriptions can be found here: http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/hygroc... The cap was bright red when found in the field, after a couple of days it dried to this orange colour. Cap about 2cm across and fruitbody 4cm tall, growing on unimproved grassland. The distant gills make me wonder about H. punicea or H. splendidissima but the lack of heavily fibrous stem and the small cap size helped me decide it is H. coccinea. I've not taken into consideration other similar species (due to lack of time) such as Hygrocybe miniata, Hygrocybe reidii, Hygrocybe insipida

Notes:

september 2014 folder