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Pink waxcap

Pink waxcap © Guy Edwardes/2020VISION

Pink waxcap

Scientific name: Porpolomopsis calyptriformis (previously Hygrocybe calyptriformis)
This beautiful pink fungus appears in late summer and autumn.

Species information

Conservation status

Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List

When to see

September - November

About

The pink waxcap is one of our most beautiful waxcaps, a group of fungi that take their name from the waxy texture of their caps. Pink waxcaps appear in late summer and early autumn, sometimes in small scattered clusters but often alone. They are not a common species in the UK, but can be even harder to find throughout the rest of their range in mainland Europe. Pink waxcaps are found in unimproved grasslands, including churchyards and sheep-grazed pastures.

How to identify

Pink waxcaps have a domed, pale pink cap on a white stalk. As they age, the cap often splits and can turn upwards.

Distribution

More common in western Britain, particularly Wales.

Habitats

Did you know?

The pink waxcap is also known as the ballerina waxcap or the pink ballerina, as the soft pink cap looks like a frilly tutu as it opens out.