A slimy, pale tan to dingy yellowish-brown woodwax of North American pine woods, with distant, decurrent whitish to buff gills and a dry stem. It was long recorded under the European name Hygrophorus hypothejus. Moreau et al. (2018) restricted H. hypothejus to Europe and revived Smith & Hesler's name H. siccipes for its North American counterpart.
Edibility is not established for this species, and it is not recommended. Colorado Mushrooms calls it only 'presumably edible', and edible reports for the H. hypothejus group (Mykoweb: 'edible, but untried locally') do not separate this species. Confirm the white spore print and waxy, decurrent gills; slimy Cortinarius species under conifers have a cobwebby veil and rusty-brown spores.
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Habitat
Ectomycorrhizal; on the ground under pines. Colorado collections are associated with ponderosa pine and possibly other pines (Colorado Mushrooms).
Distribution
North America, reported mainly from the west (for example Colorado). Other North American reports of H. hypothejus may belong to this species or to H. boyeri; Mykoweb treats California material as the H. hypothejus group with both names as candidates.
Characteristics
Cap: 2-3 cm, convex, slimy; pale tan to dingy yellowish brown with a warm buff margin, the disc becoming brownish. Gills: decurrent, distant, narrow; whitish becoming buff. Stem: 4-6 cm long, 3-6 mm thick, dry, whitish becoming buff; the partial veil leaves a fibrillose zone near the middle. Odor and taste: not distinctive. Spore print: white. Spores: 8-10 x 4-5 um (Hesler & Smith, as summarized by the South Vancouver Island Mycological Society). Like H. hypothejus but without a gelatinous veil on the stem. Colorado Mushrooms describes Colorado collections as bright orange, so cap color alone is not reliable.
