Vermilion Waxcap

Vermilion Waxcap - Hygrocybe miniata

Description

A small, bright red, or red-orange mushroom. The cap is typically 1 to 3cm in diameter and has small scales (squamulous) - use a hand lens. Gills are reddish with pale yellow edges, broadly attached (adnate) to the stipe and sometimes with a decurrent tooth.  The smell is indistinct, unlike Garlic Waxcap, Hygrocybe helobia

Similar Species

There are several very similar small red/orange waxcaps found in similar habitats

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

This is a very difficult waxcap to identify, and we recommend that a specimen is examined microscopically by an expert before submission to NatureSpot

Habitat

Acid grasslands

When to see it

Usually a species of late summer and autumn.

UK Status

Widespread but rather local in Britain.

VC55 Status

Uncommon

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

No additional images available for this species.

All NatureSpot records