''Cuphophyllus lepidopus'' is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of agaric (gilled mushroom) in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Hygrophoraceae The Hygrophoraceae are a family of fungi in the order Agaricales. Originally conceived as containing white-spored, thick-gilled agarics (gilled mushrooms), including ''Hygrophorus'' and ''Hygrocybe'' species (the waxcaps or waxy caps), DNA evide ...

. It has been given the recommended English name of scalyfoot waxcap. The species has a European distribution, occurring mainly in agriculturally unimproved grassland. Threats to its habitat have resulted in the species being assessed as globally "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Taxonomy

The species was first described from England in 1927 by

mycologist Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungus, fungi, including their genetics, genetic and biochemistry, biochemical properties, their Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy and ethnomycology, their use to humans, including as a so ...

Carleton Rea Carleton Rea (7 May 1861 – 26 June 1946) was an English mycologist, botanist, and naturalist. Background and education Carleton Rea was born in Worcester, the son of the City Coroner. He was educated at The King's School and Magdalen Colle ...

as ''Hygrophorus lepidopus''. It was known only by an illustration of Rea's collection until rediscovered in England in 2004. It was then considered a variety of ''Hygrocybe fornicata'', but subsequent

molecular A molecule is a group of two or more atoms held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions which satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, and bioche ...

research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, has indicated that ''Cuphophyllus lepidopus'' is a distinct species.

Description

Basidiocarps are

agaricoid An agaric () is a type of fungus fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus (cap) that is clearly differentiated from the stipe (stalk), with lamellae (gills) on the underside of the pileus. In the UK, agarics are called "mushrooms ...

, up to 100mm (4 in) tall, the cap broadly conical at first, becoming broadly convex when expanded, up to 75mm (3 in) across. The cap surface is slightly greasy when damp, cream with pale buff to greyish centre, wholly or partly speckled with fine brownish scales. The lamellae (gills) are waxy, thick,

adnexed In mycology, a lamella, or gill, is a papery hymenophore rib under the cap of some mushroom species, most often agarics. The gills are used by the mushrooms as a means of spore dispersal, and are important for species identification. The atta ...

, white to cream. The stipe (stem) is whitish, speckled with fine brownish scales, lacking a ring. The spore print is white, the spores (under a microscope) smooth, inamyloid, broadly ellipsoid, c. 5.5 to 7.5 by 4 to 5 μm.

Similar species

The earthy waxcap '' Cuphophyllus fornicatus'' is very similar, but lacks scales on cap or stipe. The two species have been confused in the past and further research is required to distinguish them morphologically.

Distribution and habitat

The scalyfoot waxcap is only known with certainty from England, but is presumed to be more widespread in Europe. Like most other European waxcaps, ''Cuphophyllus lepidopus'' occurs in old, agriculturally unimproved, short-sward grassland (pastures and lawns). Recent research suggests waxcaps are neither

mycorrhizal A mycorrhiza (from Greek μύκης ', "fungus", and ῥίζα ', "root"; pl. mycorrhizae, mycorrhiza or mycorrhizas) is a symbiotic association between a fungus and a plant. The term mycorrhiza refers to the role of the fungus in the plan ...

nor

saprotrophic Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi (f ...

but may be associated with mosses.

Conservation

''Cuphophyllus lepidopus'' is typical of waxcap grasslands, a declining habitat due to changing agricultural practices. As a result, the species is of global conservation concern and is listed as "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

References