Cuphophyllus lacmus
Cuphophyllus lacmus, commonly known as the grey waxcap, is a small to medium gilled mushroom in the waxcap family Hygrophoraceae. It is found mainly in Europe, especially in old, agriculturally unimproved grasslands such as pastures and lawns, and it also occurs in Greenland. Because its grassland habitat is declining due to changes in farming practices, Cuphophyllus lacmus is considered globally vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Taxonomy and naming
- First described in 1803 by Heinrich Schumacher as Agaricus lacmus.
- Transferred to the genus Cuphophyllus by Marcel Bon in 1985.
- Modern DNA studies confirm it as a distinct species within a group that includes Cuphophyllus subviolaceus; more research is needed to fully separate these species.
What it looks like
- Cap: up to about 6 cm across, starting hemispherical and becoming broadly convex to flat; surface grey to bluish grey and slightly greasy when damp.
- Gills: waxy, thick, decurrent (streaking down the stem), pale to dark grey.
- Stem: white, smooth, with no ring.
- Spore print: white; spores are smooth, ellipsoid, about 7–8 by 4.5–6 micrometres.
Similar species
- Cuphophyllus flavipes (Yellow Foot Waxcap) and its close relatives resemble C. lacmus but have yellow on the lower part of the stem.
- Cuphophyllus subviolaceus was once thought to be the same species, but is now recognized as distinct, found in Europe and North America; further study helps clarify differences.
Ecology and conservation
- Waxcaps like C. lacmus grow in old, unimproved grasslands and are not strongly linked to trees. They may associate with mosses rather than forming classic mycorrhizal or saprotrophic relationships.
- The habitat for waxcaps is declining worldwide, contributing to the species’ vulnerable status.
- In Europe, Cuphophyllus lacmus appears on national red lists in several countries, reflecting its conservation concern.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 06:51 (CET).