Snowy waxcap - Cuphophyllus virgineus
- The Foraging Course Company
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Edible mushroom - intermediate Season - autumn to winter Common names Snowy waxcap, white waxycap
Scientific name meaning: The genus name comes from the Greek words Kyphos and Phyllon, meaning curved leaves. Virgineus is Latin and means maidenly or belonging to a virgin
Habitat  The snowy waxcap is a grassland mushroom and particularly likes cut or grazed grass that has not been treated with lots of fertiliser. It is often found in areas where lots of springy turf moss (Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus) is present. |
Overall structure and growth  Thought to be saprobic for a long time, this white mushroom is now thought this mushroom has a mycorrhizal relationship with mosses. It can be found as individual specimens or in large numbers. |
Cap  The white to creamy cap is convex at first, then flattening and turning up at the edge with age. It often has a broad umbo (bump) and is 2 to 5cm in diameter. It feels greasy to the touch. |
Gills and spores  The white gills are widely spaced (distant) and thick. They are interspersed with smaller gills from the cap edge and are decurrent (run down the stem). The spore colour is white. |
Stem  The stem is delicate, often curved, 2-5cm tall and 0.2-0.5mm wide. It is white, sometimes darker at the base, and has no ring or skirt. |
Flesh, taste and smell  The flesh is white and smell and taste are mild. |
Possible lookalikes  Could be confused with seriously toxic deadly funnel (Clitocybe dealbata) or fool's funnel (Clitocybe rivulosa), pictured, which both grow in rings in grassland. However, these both have more crowded gills. |
Use as food The snowy waxcap is a good tasting mushroom that must be cooked. It usually has a high water content so can be cooked without an oil or fat Hazards This mushroom can grow on roadside grass verges where it can accumulate traffic-related toxins. It is advisable to avoid harvesting from the sides of busy roads
Use in herbal medicine and medicine None known
If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner Other uses None known Importance to other species None known
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
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