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Witch's hat
Hygrocybe conica
50.8766, 6.07631
Field Notes
Description:
Also known as conical wax cap or conical slimy cap.
The witch's hat is a small mushroom, with a convex to conical yellow-orange to red cap 2 to 5 cm (0,75-1,95 inch) in diameter, though very occasionally larger specimens up to 8 or 9 cm (3,5 inch) in diameter are found. Bruises black [to see in the 2 picture, and how slimy is to see in picture 3].
Habitat:
The witch's hat is widely distributed in grasslands and conifer woodlands across North America, Europe and Asia, as well as Australia and New Zealand, being found in summer and autumn. It is likely that what is currently termed Hygrocybe conica is actually a complex of closely related species, some of which are suspected of being poisonous.Though Hygrocybe conica does occur in Australia, principally near urban areas, many collections originally assigned to this species are actually the similar Hygrocybe astatogala.
Notes:
One of the brightest fungi of our pine forest, quite rare, unfortunately, as it seems to prefer undisturbed, ecologically balanced areas. These specimens are exceptionally bright and rather blunt-capped for the species and resemble another red waxcap, Hygrocybe coccinea. The color changes into yellow-orange as the mushroom matures. Its waxy, watery flesh stains bluish-black readily, so dry specimens are almost completely black.
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this exact same specimen 6 days later: ( http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/7866932 )
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