About Cuphophyllus colemannianus (A.Bloxam) Bon
Cuphophyllus colemannianus, commonly called the Toasted Waxcap, produces agaricoid basidiocarps that grow up to 50 millimeters (2 inches) tall. The cap is hemispherical when young, expanding to become broadly convex or flat, and reaches up to 50 millimeters (2 inches) across. Its surface is smooth, slightly greasy when damp, and brown with a paler margin. The gills (lamellae) are waxy, thick, decurrent (running down the stem), and range in color from white to pale buff. The stem (stipe) is smooth, white, and does not have a ring. The spore print is white; under a microscope, the spores are smooth, inamyloid, ellipsoid, and measure approximately 7.5 to 9 micrometers by 5 to 6 micrometers. This species is widespread but generally rare across Europe, and is also found in Greenland. Like most other European waxcaps, Cuphophyllus colemannianus grows in old, agriculturally unimproved, short-sward grassland including pastures and lawns, and shows a marked preference for calcareous sites. Recent research indicates that waxcaps are neither mycorrhizal nor saprotrophic, and may be associated with mosses.
