Skip to main content

witch's hat, conical wax cap or conical slimy cap

hygrocybe nigrescens or conica

Photo by AlexKonig
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

50.8928, 6.02241

Field Notes

Notes:

According to some authors, H. conica and H. nigrescens could not well separated

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)

that's true. and russulas are really annoying to determinate --> especialy on global scale!! therefore it's a good thing, that it will be just a suggestion. no one schould on hand of this suggestion, go out and take the "suggested" agaricus arvensis (maybe xanthoderma). and every spotter schould know that, the decision is by him. if someone really will be sure, he must have a microscope. but this is no mushroom-hunting -gids- determination. i see it as a way to show the beauty of our world --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWg14IvvMbA&feature=related
Without telltale signs, it is often difficult to identify mushrooms from photographs. In the Russulas, it is impossible to identify many species that way. So, many species represented on this site may be misnamed or go without identification, especially to the species.
when i seen some pictures in my book of both of them i think it could be seperated (nigrescens bigger than conica). but mushroom are very inconstant in form appearance. the psilocybe cubensis as example (i had cultivated myself) depending on how much/or if he stands in sun or shaddow, will be the one time with long stem or short, and the cap also changed. then it is a very big factor - if the substrate is good with the right minerals or if you just take what you can get. therefore the form of some mushrooms isn't as much important as the properties : smell,taste,touch,color or what he does (coprinus comatus - will liquefy / or p.cubensis and some other has discolorations, the H. conica (http://www.google.com/search?q=hygrocybe+conica&rls=com.microsoft:nl&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1108&bih=664) is called in german: SCHWÄRZENDE Saftling (i think it's a better name than wax/slimy cap) it will turn black same as nigrescens (http://www.google.com/search?q=hygrocybe+conica&rls=com.microsoft:nl&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1108&bih=664) --> therefore say some autors its very difficult to seperate those to species.! sadly i did not have an microscope (untill now), with that i could exclude any doubts!!
When handled or left to mature, both the stem, cap and gills turn black, hence its common name.

Spotted for Missions

Photographed
PublishedSeptember 18, 2011

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon