Hygrocybe flavescens (Kauffman) Singer (1951)             *All collections from N. California

Forma A

This is one of the common members of Hygrocybe in Northern California. Some very similarly colored fruitbodies have an acutely pointed cap and are referred as Hygrocybe acutoconica sensu auct. cal. The normal form is yellow, but orangish-yellow forms develop at age too. The obvious difference is that the stipe remains white-yellow, with no hints of orange-red as in the Punicea group.

Forma B

At one time collections with acutely pointed cap were referred to as  Hygrocybe acutoconica, but that name has been synonymized with Hygrocybe persistens, which is a different yellow-reddish mushroom. Further observations by me seem suggest that these acutely pointed caps are just fruitbody forms within the California population of Hygrocybe flavescens. Based on that I have taken the conservative approach here and rolled these acutely pointed caps under flavescens until a stronger species concept emerges for an independent treatment of acutoconica.