Synonyms: Hydrocybe cuspidata, Hygrocybe acutoconica, Hygrocybe persistens, Hygrophorus acutoconicus, Hygrophorus cuspidatus.
Common name: Candy Apple Waxy Cap.
Hygrocybe cuspidata is a small to medium-sized mushroom with a conical to bell-shaped cap that is 1-4 cm in diameter, typically yellow to orange-yellow in color, and often has a distinctive pointed tip. The gills are narrowly attached to the stem and are the same color as the cap. The stem is slender, 2-6 cm long, and equal in width throughout. In East and Central Texas, Hygrocybe cuspidata typically fruits from September to November in association with oak and pine trees, often in areas with rich soil and abundant leaf litter. It can be found in a variety of habitats, including woodland edges, savannas, and urban parks.
Red waxcap mushrooms Hygrocybe cuspidata in muddy area on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest, near Huntsville. Texas, July 7, 2018
Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Red waxcap mushrooms Hygrocybe cuspidata in muddy area on floodplain on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest, near Huntsville. Texas, July 7, 2018Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Orange waxcap mushrooms Hygrocybe cuspidata in a low-lying area on Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 17, 2020Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Side view of orange waxcap mushrooms Hygrocybe cuspidata in a low-lying area on Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, September 17, 2020Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USAObservations of the fungus Hygrocybe cuspidata in East and Central Texas reveal that it tends to thrive in muddy or low-lying areas. On July 7, 2018, red waxcap mushrooms were found in a muddy area on Caney Creek Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville. Similar sightings were made in the same location but on the floodplain. Later, on September 17, 2020, orange waxcap mushrooms of the same species were spotted in a low-lying area on the Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail, also in Sam Houston National Forest. The fungi were observed to grow in areas that are likely to be moist or waterlogged, suggesting a preference for such environments. Both red and orange varieties of Hygrocybe cuspidata were seen, indicating possible color variation within the species in this region.
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