Hygrophorus eburneus, the ivory waxy cap or cowboy's handkerchief, is the type species of Hygrophorus. It is a pure white, very slimy, mycorrhizal agaric with waxy, distant, decurrent gills and a glutinous white stem.
Reported edible, but rarely collected because it is small and very slimy. Similar white waxy caps (H. piceae, H. gliocyclus, Cuphophyllus virgineus) and Limacella illinita need to be separated. As with any white gilled mushroom, confirm identification carefully, since some white mushrooms are deadly.
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Habitat
Mycorrhizal; on soil in deciduous and coniferous woods (with beech and oak in Britain), thickets, woodland edges and grassy areas; prefers moist, calcareous soil. June-November in Britain and Ireland.
Distribution
Widespread in North America; Europe (from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean), Israel and North Africa.
Characteristics
Cap: 2-7 cm; convex becoming flat, sometimes with a low umbo; pure white to ivory; very slimy when wet. Gills: attached to decurrent, distant, waxy; white, becoming slightly yellowish or buff with age. Stem: 3-15 cm long, 0.2-1.5 cm thick; white; glutinous; often tapering at the base; stuffed, becoming hollow. Odor: mild; some authorities report a goat-moth-like odor. Spore print: white. Spores: 6-8 x 3.5-5 µm, ellipsoid, smooth. Chemical test: the stem gives a KOH reaction that H. cossus lacks.
