Snowy waxcapCuphophyllus virgineus

The cap of the snowy waxcap is small — 1 to 4 centimeters across. When young it is convex to bell-shaped, opening with age to flat, often with a small knob and a wavy, sometimes cracked margin. The surface is smooth, slightly slippery in wet weather, white, cream or with a faint ochre tint in the center. Its pure white coloring is what gave the mushroom its name.

The hymenophore is gilled. The gills are thick, widely spaced, waxy to the touch, running noticeably down the stem (decurrent), white or cream. The spore print is white. Thick, waxy, decurrent white gills are a typical family trait of the Hygrophoraceae (waxcaps).

The stem is thin, white, 2 to 6 centimeters tall, cylindrical, often narrowing toward the base, dry or slightly slippery. There is no ring and no volva. The surface is smooth. The stem is fragile, like the whole structure of the mushroom.

The flesh is white, thin, waxy, and does not change color when cut. The taste is mild, without bitterness, but generally bland. Because of the thin flesh and small size its culinary value is modest, so the mushroom rounds out the basket rather than forming the basis of a dish.

The smell is faint, pleasant or almost imperceptible, with no sharp notes. The aroma is not a defining feature, so for identification you rely on the pure white, slightly slippery cap, the thick waxy decurrent gills and its growth in groups in meadows in autumn.