How to identify Ivory Woodwax

To correctly identify Ivory Woodwax (Hygrophorus cossus), check each of these features in order. Misidentification is the most common cause of mushroom poisoning, so cross-reference multiple sources.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Cap

   Shape, color, surface texture, and diameter.

   Pure white to ivory, slimy when moist, convex to flattened shape, smooth surface.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   White, waxy, widely spaced, and decurrent (running down the stem).

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   White, smooth, slimy when wet, cylindrical, and lacks a ring.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   White, thin, and waxy.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   Small to medium-sized, typically 3-7 cm in diameter.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   Deciduous woodlands, especially under beech trees.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Slimy when moist, smooth

Growth Form

Solitary to scattered

Spore Print

White

Body color

White to Ivory

Odor

Mild, not distinctive

Flesh bruises

No bruising

Height

4-8 cm

Cap Diameter

3-7 cm

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: Decurrent
• Stem shape: Cylindrical
• Stem surface: Smooth, slimy when wet
• Ring: Absent
• Stem cross-section: Solid

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