Parrot Waxcap (Gliophorus psittacinus)

Description

Gliophorus psittacinus, also known as the 🦜 Parrot Waxcap or Parrot Toadstool, is a striking mushroom with a vibrant array of colors that change as it matures. Its cap starts off a stunning parrot-green, gradually shifting through shades of yellow, orange, pink, or tawny as it ages. The stem follows a similar colorful journey, often retaining a splash of green at the apex even in older specimens. The slimy texture of both the cap and stem, especially when wet, adds to its unique charm.

The Parrot Waxcap mushroom (Gliophorus psittacinus) may look magical with its vibrant colors, but it's not a psychedelic mushroom! 🧠✨ Unlike psilocybin-containing mushrooms, this little beauty doesn't induce hallucinations.

Distribution 🌍: This mushroom is widely distributed across western Europe, the Americas, parts of Asia, and even South Africa and Greenland. It thrives in grasslands, meadows, and occasionally in parks and roadside verges, preferring nutrient-poor soils. In some areas, like Britain and Ireland, it can be found in unimproved grasslands and is an indicator of high-quality habitats.

Edibility 🍽️: Though technically edible, Gliophorus psittacinus is not a popular choice due to its small size and sliminess. Consuming large quantities (over 20) may cause mild gastrointestinal discomfort. It's best appreciated for its visual appeal rather than its culinary value.

Ecological Role 🌱: Often found in nutrient-poor, low-maintenance grasslands, the Parrot Waxcap may form associations with mosses, unlike other fungi that feed on decaying organic matter. It plays a vital role as an indicator species for conservationists, pointing to the health of its habitat.

🌈 The Parrot Waxcap (Gliophorus psittacinus) has a colorful history! First described in 1762 by Jacob Christian Schaeffer as Agaricus psittacinus, it was later reclassified by Paul Kummer in 1871. In 1995, David Boertmann recognized an orange variety, Hygrocybe psittacina var. perplexa 🟠, but recent DNA studies split the Parrot Waxcap into its own genus, Gliophorus 🔬.

Its sticky, glue-like coating inspired its name, from Greek "glia" (glue) and "phoros" (bearing) 💧. The name psittacinus means "parrot," matching its vibrant, parrot-like colors! 🦜🍄

Mushroom Identification

🧢 Cap

Size: 0.79 to 1.57 inches (2 to 4 cm) cm across. Shape: Bell-shaped when young, expanding to slightly umbonate. Color: Bright green at first, with shades of yellow, orange, or purple. As it ages, it turns more yellow or tawny, often with orange or purple tinges. The cap is slimy in damp conditions. Texture: Shiny and slimy when moist, smooth when dry.

🌿 Gills

Attachment: Adnexed (narrowly attached to the stem). Color: Green near the stipe, fading to yellow with age. Thick and waxy in texture, and spaced apart.

🦵 Stem

Size: 1.57 to 3.15 inches (4 to 8 cm), 4–8 mm thick. Color: Green near the cap, turning yellow or orange further down. Slimy and smooth, with pale flesh.

🦠 Spores & Spore Print

Spores: Ellipsoid to ovoid, smooth, inamyloid; 7.5-9.5 x 4-6 µm. Spore Print: White

👃👅 Odor & Taste

Odor: Not distinctive. Taste: Mild, but slimy and slightly acidic.

🕓 Season

Timing: August to November or early December.

🍽️ Edibility

Edible but Not Desirable: Slimy texture and small size make it less appealing. Eating too many (20+) can cause mild gastrointestinal upset.

🏞️ Habitat

The Parrot Waxcap prefers grasslands, particularly those untreated with artificial fertilizers for many years, and is often found in mossy or shady areas. It has a unique relationship with mosses and typically grows in cropped grasslands, roadside verges, and woodland clearings. Found from late summer to autumn, this mushroom is widespread across Europe, the Americas, Japan, and other regions.

Look-Alikes

1️⃣ Hygrocybe chlorophana is an all-yellow waxcap of similar size, but it does not have the initial green coloration and it has a hollow stipe at maturity.

2️⃣ Gliophorus laetus is orange or yellow in color.

3️⃣ Gliophorus reginae is flesh-pink to purplish in color with an orange or yellow foot.

Video

Synonyms

• Agaricus dentatus L. (1753)

• Agaricus psittacinus Schaeffer (1774)

• Agaricus lividus Lamarck (1778)

• Agaricus cameleon Bulliard (1792)

• Gymnopus psittacinus (Schaeffer) Zawadzki (1835)

• Hygrophorus psittacinus (Schaeffer) Fries (1838)

• Hygrocybe psittacina (Schaeffer) P. Kummer (1871)

• Hygrophorus subvirens Britzelmayr (1890)

• Bolbitius dentatus (L.) Kuntze (1898)

• Hydrocybe psittacina (Schaeffer) Murrill (1916)

Photo copyright:

All photos were taken by the Ultimate Mushroom team and can be used for your own purposes under the Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.