Hygrocybe coccinea, the scarlet waxcap, is a small, bright scarlet waxcap in the Hygrophoraceae with a slimy cap and thick, widely spaced, waxy gills. In Europe it grows in unimproved grassland. In North America it grows mainly in woodland.
Edible, but of little culinary interest because it is small and thin-fleshed. In Europe it is a characteristic species of unimproved, high-conservation grasslands, so collecting it for food is discouraged.
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Europe: unimproved, unfertilized grasslands and old pastures. North America: woodlands, including under redwoods and in mixed woods in the west. Nepal: under Rhododendron and oak. August-October in Europe; often in winter in western North America.
Distribution
Northern Hemisphere: Europe, North America, India, China and Japan. Australian specimens first identified as H. coccinea have been reclassified as H. miniata or H. kandora.
Characteristics
Cap: 2-5 cm; bell-shaped then flattening; scarlet, may fade toward orange; smooth, slimy when moist. Gills: adnate, thick, widely spaced, waxy, yellow-red. Stem: 2-5 cm tall, 0.3-1 cm wide; red with a yellowish base; no ring. Flesh: yellowish-red; faint smell and taste. Spore print: white. Spores: 7-9.5 x 4-5 µm, oval, smooth. Similar species: H. punicea and H. marchii.
