A simple stroll turned into something a little more special last week. I was admiring some fungus growing in some moss on a quiet suburban street and was approached by a lovely couple who invited me to take a look in their garden at the abundance of mushrooms.
I discovered a Parrot Waxcap aptly named after the green/yellow/red colours of parrots.
It really is quite a lovely fungus and this was my first sighting.
Characteristics:
Cap up to 3 cm across, firstly convex or bell-shaped and then more flat with a broad umbo. Also firstly, it has a greenish hue, slowly turning more yellow with a pinkish stain on or near the centre of the umbo. The texture of the cap is waxy/greasy/gluten-like.
The gills are broad, with a yellowish staining at the edge. The stem is yellow, greenish/blue and it smells mealy. It grows in grass on lawns or heaths - Summer to late Autumn. Waxcaps thrive in natural habitat and are prone to being affected by fertilizers. Therefore they are not as common as previously.
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| Showing cap |
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| Showing yellow tinged gills |
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