Bitter Waxcap vs Splendid Waxcap

Hygrocybe mucronella compared with Hygrocybe splendidissima

Key Differences

• Bitter Waxcap is Near Threatened while Splendid Waxcap is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bitter Waxcap	Splendid Waxcap
Kingdom same	Fungi (균계)	Fungi (균계)
Phylum same	Basidiomycota (담자균류)	Basidiomycota (담자균류)
Class same	Agaricomycetes (주름버섯강)	Agaricomycetes (주름버섯강)
Order same	Agaricales (주름버섯목)	Agaricales (주름버섯목)
Family same	Hygrophoraceae	Hygrophoraceae
Genus same	Hygrocybe	Hygrocybe
Species	Hygrocybe mucronella	Hygrocybe splendidissima

Evolutionary Relationship

Bitter Waxcap and Splendid Waxcap share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Hygrocybe.

Conservation Status

Bitter Waxcap

NT — Near Threatened

Splendid Waxcap

VU — Vulnerable

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bitter Waxcap	Splendid Waxcap
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bitter Waxcap

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Splendid Waxcap

Habitat

Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Bitter Waxcap

The Bitter Waxcap (Hygrocybe mucronella) is a species in the genus Hygrocybe. It is currently classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in forest floors, decomposing wood, and soil ecosystems.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden