Garlic Waxcap - Hygrocybe helobia

Description

This is a small, orange-red waxcap. The cap has small scales (squamulous) and is up to 2.5cm in diameter on a 4cm stipe of the same colour. The cap often has a wavy margin and a depressed centre. The adnate to decurrent gills are pale red/yellow.  The crushed gills are said to smell slightly of garlic but this may be faint (try putting in a closed container overnight, then sniffing immediately it is opened).

Similar Species

Hygrocybe miniata is very similar and grows in the same kind of habitat

Identification difficulty

smell

Recording advice

This is a very difficult species to identify from photos.  We recommend that the species is determined by an expert before it is submitted to NatureSpot.  Note smell.

Habitat

Damp, acid grassland.

When to see it

Autumn

UK Status

Frequent and widespread across England and Scotland.

VC55 Status

Uncommon. Found mainly in Charnwood.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Common names
Garlic Waxcap
Species group:
fungus
Kingdom:
Fungi
Order:
Agaricales
Family:
Hygrophoraceae
Records on NatureSpot:
1
First record:
11/10/2023 (Nicholls, David)
Last record:
11/10/2023 (Nicholls, David)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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