Hygrocybe reesiae
Pink Waxcap
Family: Hygrophoraceae
Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable
Description
A small, lilac coloured gilled fungus. Cap 10 - 20 mm, convex but with a dip at the centre to almost with a small hallow at top of stem when mature, smooth, dry, margins even and not splitting, pale lilac to lilac grey but fading to buff when old. Gills deeply formed down stem, distant, thick, 1 or 2 sets of short gills, deep lilac to near violet, margins of the same colour. Stem 16 - 30 mm x 3 - 4mm, dry, smooth, cylindrical pallid lilac but darker to the top, becoming buff, hollow.
Distribution
Known from type locality, Lane Cove Bushland Park, Lane Cove and other locations in the Sydney regionincluding Royal National Park, Chatswood, Castle Hill, Northbridge, Marsfield, East Linfield and the Blue Mountains (Mount Wilson, Hazelbrook). Also found in Tasmania.
Habitat and ecology
Occurs in gallery warm temperate forests dominated by Lilly Pilly (Acmena smithii), Grey Myrtle (Backhousia myrtifolia), Cheese Tree (Glochidion ferdinandi) and Sweet Pittosporum (Pittosporum undulatum).
Associated with alluvial sandy soils of the Hawkesbury Soil Landscapes with naturally low fertility and erodible.
Occur as individuals or in groups, terrestrial rarely on wood and only if extremely rotten; substrates include soil, humus, or moss.
Does not produce above ground fruiting bodies (fungus) all year round. Fruiting bodies begin appearing mid May to mid July sometimes to August.
References:
REGENAVITIS no.60 August 2021, section 10 “Mushrooms” by Peter Woodard
https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedSpeciesApp/profile.aspx?id=10423
Young, A.M. (1999). The Hygrocybeae (fungi, Basidiomycota, Agaricales, Hygrophoraceae) of the Lane Cove Bushland Park, New South Wales. Austrobaileya 5(3) 535-564