The waxcap fungi of Essex
are unpublished. Early records of waxcaps in Epping Forest were obtained from Pearson (193 8).
Locations are listed in the Gazetteer with grid references for the appropriate kilometre square.
A list of recorders is included, but only one record is given for each location
Identification of the species requires the latest book on the genus by Boertmann (1995), which
contains keys, descriptions and coloured photographs. Keys and descriptions are also found in a
monograph of the genus in the Netherlands by Kuyper, Noordeloos & Vellinga (1990). The
recommended English names have been given as published by the British Mycological Society
and Plantlife (Holden 2003). Thirteen species are beautifully illustrated in Wald Vogel, Neukom &
Winkler (2001), which also contains excellent photographs of many Boletes and other groups.
There are photographs of some of these fungi in the popular book by Phillips (1981), but attention
should be made to the corrections in Henrici (2001). More photographs are found in Breitenbach
& Kranzlin (1991), but some corrections have been made, which I could supply on request.
Species recorded in Essex
The following species are listed in the order published in Boertmann (1995):-
Hygrocybe pratensis var. pratensis (^Hygrophorus pratensis) (= Camarophyllus pratensis)
Meadow Waxcap
A medium to large sized fruiting body with gills running down the stalk. It is orange in colour
with a dry cap and stalk.
2 ADB(EWT); 3 ADB; 6 ADB; 11 ADB(EWT); 13 ADB; 14 ADB; 15ADB(EWT); 20
ADB(EWT); 24 ADB; 25 ADB; 27 AP; 28 MG; 37 MS; 40 RB; 41 ADB; 43 CB; 49 ShW; 70
GS; 71 GS; 72 GS; 75 IR; 78 IR; 79 IR; 83 NH(EWT); 92 AFP; 94 GNM; 95 MM; 96 MM; 97
MM; 98 MM; 99 MM; 100 MM.
Hygrocybe russocoriacea (^Hygrophorus russocoriaceus) (= Camarophyllus russocoriaceus)
Cedarwood Waxcap
A small toadstool, which is pale-buff in colour, with gills that run down the stalk. It is
immediately recognized by a strong and characteristic smell of cedarwood, (Russian leather)
which once experienced is unmistakable.
27 AP; 54 ShW; 75 IR; 76 IR; 79 IR.
Hygrocybe virginea (-Hygrophorus niveus) (= Camarophyllus virgineus) (=Cuphophyllus
niveus)
Snowy Waxcap
It is now divided into three sub-species. Records for the aggregate are as follows:
1 ADB; 2 ADB(EWT); 3 ADB; 4 ADB; 5 ADB; 6 ADB; 7 ADB; 8 ADB; 9 ADB; 10 ADB; 11
ADB(EWT); 12 ADB; 13 ADB; 14ADB; 15ADB; 16 ADB; 20 ADB; 27 AP; 28 GP(EWT); 29
MG; 30 GP(EWT); 31 ADB; 32 MS; 34 MS; 36 MS; 38 ML(EWT); 40 RB; 55 ShW; 56 ShW;
57 ShW; 58 ShW 59 ShW; 60 JS; 73 GS; 75 IR; 80 AFP; 88 SW; 89 SW; 94 GNM; 98 MM;
102 MM.
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 21 (2004) 133