Fleshy Fungi of New Brunswick >> Hygrocybe cantharellus

Hygrocybe cantharellus (Schweinitz) Murrill

Picture of Hygrocybe cantharellus

Gregarious (several) in leaf litter in mixed forest of Acer saccharum, Abies balsamea, Betula alleghaniensis and B. papyrifera, Nepisiguit Protected Natural Area, New Brunswick (15-08-16/10).

Basidiospores forming a white spore print, ovoid to ellipsoidal, sometimes slightly concave on the adaxial side in profile, smooth, without iodine reactions, 7.7-11.1 X 4.9-7.0 µm, D/d = 1.47-1.82 (average[34]: 9.4 X 5.8 µm. D/d = 1.61).

Identification within the group of Hygrocybe species with red scaly caps remains difficult. Collection 15-08-16/10 might be assignable to H. cantharellus, H. miniata or H. turunda depending upon which authorities you follow. According to most authors, the pileal scales of H. turunda should have black tips, while those of the other two species should be uniformly red. In 15-08-16/10 the scales indicate the latter two. Between these, H. miniata should have adnate to weakly decurrent gills while those of H. cantharellus should be strongly decurrent.

The closest match to 15-08-16/10 is reported from Nova Scotia by Bird & Grund (Nova Scotian species of Hygrophorus, The Nova Scotia Museum, 1979) as H. cantharellus.

Photo: D. Malloch (15-08-16/10).