BioImages: The Virtual Field-Guide (UK)

Hygrocybe virginea var. virginea (Wulfen) P.D. Orton & Watling, 1969 (Snowy Waxcap)

Notes (MWS)

A small to medium-sized white waxcap with decurrent gills and a hygrophanous, slightly greasy cap. It often grows in troops in unfertilized grassland and lawns as well as fixed dunes, heathland and roadsides. It has a greater tolerance of disturbance and fertiliser residues than most other waxcaps (including the other varieties of this species) and is among the first to establish on abandoned fields. It is very common and widespread. Until recently a separate species, Hygrocybe nivea, was recognised, largely on the basis of spore size: this is now felt to be untenable.

British records

4227

Records (and photo sets)

Taxon	Summary	Date	Vice-county	Country
Hygrocybe virginea var. virginea	Fruitbody	14 October 1997	Berks	England		12
Hygrocybe virginea var. virginea	Fruitbody	13 October 1997	Berks	England		5
Hygrocybe virginea var. virginea	Fruitbody	5 November 1978	North Hampshire	England	1
Hygrocybe virginea var. virginea	Fruitbody	15 October 1978	Surrey	England	1
Hygrocybe virginea var. virginea	Fruitbody	15 October 1977	Surrey	England	2
Hygrocybe virginea var. virginea	Fruitbody	23 December 1971	East Sussex	England	1

Suggested Literature

Hygrocybe virginea var. virginea may be covered by literature listed under:

BIOTA
(living things)

Eukaryota
(eukaryotes)

MYCETEAE
(fungi, moulds and lichens)

BASIDIOMYCOTA
(spore droppers)

BASIDIOMYCETES
(spore droppers)

AGARICOMYCETIDAE
(a subclass of basidiomycetes)

AGARICALES
(mushrooms and toadstools)

TRICHOLOMATACEAE
(a family of toadstools)

Hygrocybe
(waxcaps)

Hygrocybe virginea
(Snowy Waxcap)

Feeding and other inter-species relationships

Hygrocybe virginea var. virginea is associated with:

	fruitbody	Poaceae - grasses - formerly Graminae	fruitbody is associated with live		Legon, N.W. & Henrici, A. with Roberts, P.J., Spooner, B.M. & Watling, R., 2005 [on soil in unimproved grassland]
	fruitbody	Trees - Broadleaved And Coniferous Trees	fruitbody is associated with live		Legon, N.W. & Henrici, A. with Roberts, P.J., Spooner, B.M. & Watling, R., 2005 [on loam soil]