Habitat
This species occurs on soil and humus, typically found in unimproved grasslands with short turf or on damp ground beneath mixed hardwood trees. It grows in scattered groups or clusters.
Photos
Appearance
- Cap
- Measures 2 to 6 cm across, ranging from violet-gray to darker gray. It starts convex, eventually flattening with an upturned edge and a central depression or slight hump. The surface is greasy or slippery when wet, has visible lines at the margin, and pales as it dries.
- Stem
- Measures 3 to 5 cm long, smooth and dry. Often white or cream-colored at the base and sometimes tinted with violet-gray above, it is typically straight or slightly tapered and curved.
- Gills
- Thick, broad, and widely spaced, following a decurrent or adnate-decurrent attachment. They are colored violet-gray or grayish-violet and feature interconnecting veins.
- Flesh
- Greyish-white in color.
- Spore print
- White.
- Smell
- Distinctive aroma that may be unpleasant, aromatic, or reminiscent of rubber.
- Taste
- Unpleasant, ranging from slightly acidic and bitter to rancid.
Sporecast is better in the app
Plan ahead with 10-day forecasts, see what people are finding nearby, get photo IDs, and track your finds.
Edibility
This mushroom typically has an unpleasant, aromatic, or rubbery odor. The flavor is described as slightly acidic, bitter, or rancid, though the unpleasant taste may take a short period of chewing to become apparent.
Misidentification can be fatal. Never eat a mushroom unless you're 100% sure. This information may be inaccurate. Always consult multiple sources.
Nutrient Source
otherRecent research suggests waxcaps are neither mycorrhizal nor saprotrophic but may be associated with mosses. They also consume nitrogen derived from sources high in the food chain.
Common Names
- Croatian
- Ljubičastosiva Vlažnica
- Czech
- Voskovka Nafialovělá
- Danish
- Gråviolet Vokshat
- Dutch
- Violetgrijze wasplaat
- English
- Grey Waxcap
- Finnish
- kyyhkyvahakas
- German
- Violettgrauer Ellerling
- Norwegian
- Skifervokssopp
- Norwegian Bokmål
- skifervokssopp
- Norwegian Nynorsk
- skifervokssopp
- Swedish
- grålila vaxing, Grålila Vaxskivling
- Welsh
- Cap Cŵyr Llwyd
Synonyms
- Agaricus lacmus
- Camarophyllus lacmus
- Camarophyllus subviolaceus
- Camarophyllus subviolaceus
- Cuphophyllus subviolaceus
- Hygrocybe lacmus — Grey Waxcap
- Hygrocybe subviolacea
- Hygrocybe violeipes
- Hygrophorus alboviolaceus
- Hygrophorus lacmus
- Hygrophorus lacmus
- Hygrophorus lacmus
- Hygrophorus subviolaceus