About this fungus
Gold Dust Waxy Cap is a fungus in the Hygrophoraceae family. Its habitat and field characteristics are summarised below.
A white woodland woodwax dusted with fine yellow granules around the cap edge and upper stem.
What to check
Look for a slightly sticky white cap, thick widely spaced white gills that are attached or run slightly down the stem, and yellow granules on the cap margin, gill edges and upper stem. The granules may form an incomplete ring zone, but there is no true persistent ring or volva.
Variation
The yellow flecks are strongest on fresh young mushrooms and can fade or wash away in rain, leaving a much plainer white fruit body.
Lookalikes
Hygrophorus eburneus is also white and slimy but lacks the yellow granules. Old rain-washed mushrooms may be difficult to name confidently, so check sheltered parts of the cap margin and upper stem.
Habitat and range
Mycorrhizal in woodland, commonly with conifers such as pine and fir, although some regional accounts also record broadleaf hosts.
Food safety
Edible.
Use this profile to learn what to examine and compare, not as proof that a mushroom is safe to eat. Check the whole specimen and every important lookalike before reaching an identification.