How to tell Vermilion waxcap from Blackening waxcap

Cap 2-7 cm, at first cone-shaped or sharply pointed, with age becoming conical-flattened with a sharp umbo. Color bright orange, red-orange, sometimes with yellow tones. Surface moist, waxy, slimy in wet weather. Key feature: when damaged it turns black.

Cap 1-3 cm, hemispherical at first, then convex-spreading, sometimes with a small bump. Color bright red, cinnabar red, may turn orange with age. The surface is matte, finely scaly or granular-rough — a characteristic feature of the species. In wet weather it's slightly damp, but not slimy.

Gills. The gills are widely spaced, waxy and free. At first yellowish to orange in color, when damaged they turn black. In old mushrooms they are completely black. Spore print white.

Gilled hymenophore. Gills distant, thick, waxy, attached or slightly decurrent. Orange-yellow to reddish. Spore print white.

Stem 4-10 cm tall, 0.4-1 cm thick, slender, cylindrical, hollow inside, sometimes twisted. Orange-yellow to reddish, with lengthwise fibers. With damage and age it turns black completely. No ring.

Stem 2-5 cm tall, 0.2-0.4 cm thick, thin, cylindrical, hollow. Orange-red or orange-yellow, paler toward the base. The surface is dry and smooth. There is no ring.

Flesh thin, brittle, yellowish. When cut and when touched it turns black — this is the key diagnostic feature of the group (subgenus Pseudohygrocybe).

The flesh is thin, brittle, orangey. It doesn't change color when cut. It has no culinary value.

No distinctive smell, or faintly mushroomy. Mild taste, but tasting it is not a good idea.

No distinct smell. Mild taste, nothing special.