''Neohygrocybe'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

agaric An agaric () is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus (cap) that is clearly differentiated from the stipe (stalk), with lamellae (gills) on the underside of the pileus. It is a type of mushroom (or toadstool) ...

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Hygrophoraceae The Hygrophoraceae are a family (biology), family of fungi in the order (biology), order Agaricales. Originally conceived as containing white-spored, thick-gilled agarics (gilled mushrooms), including ''Hygrophorus'' and ''Hygrocybe'' species (th ...

. ''Neohygrocybe'' species belong to a group known as waxcaps in English, sometimes also waxy caps in North America or waxgills in New Zealand. In Europe, ''Neohygrocybe'' species are typical of

waxcap grassland Waxcap grassland is short-wikt:sward, sward, nutrient-poor grassland that supports a rich assemblage of larger fungi, particularly waxcaps (species of ''Hygrocybe'' and related genera), characteristic of such habitats. Waxcap grasslands occur pr ...

s, a declining habitat due to changing agricultural practices. As a result, three species, '' Neohygrocybe ingrata'', '' Neohygrocybe nitrata'', and ''

Neohygrocybe ovina ''Neohygrocybe ovina'' is a species of agaric (gilled mushroom) in the family (biology), family Hygrophoraceae. It has been given the recommended English name of blushing waxcap, since the Lamella (mycology), lamellae (gills) and flesh turn pinki ...

'', are of global conservation concern and are listed as "vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Taxonomy

The genus was described by Czech mycologist

Josef Herink Josef Herink (26 December 1915 – 20 August 1999) was a Czech physician and mycologist. Life and career Josef Herink was born in Prague on 26 December 1915. He completed his medical studies at Charles University in Prague before practicing as ...

in 1958. It was formerly synonymized with ''

Hygrocybe ''Hygrocybe'' is a genus of agarics (gilled fungi) in the family Hygrophoraceae. Called waxcaps in English (sometimes waxy caps in North America), basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are often brightly coloured and have dry to waxy pileus (mycology), cap ...

'' by many authorities, but recent

molecular A molecule is a group of two or more atoms that are held together by attractive forces known as chemical bonds; depending on context, the term may or may not include ions that satisfy this criterion. In quantum physics, organic chemistry, ...

research, based on

cladistic Cladistics ( ; from Ancient Greek 'branch') is an approach to biological classification in which organisms are categorized in groups ("clades") based on hypotheses of most recent common ancestry. The evidence for hypothesized relationships is ...

analysis of

DNA sequences A nucleic acid sequence is a succession of bases within the nucleotides forming alleles within a DNA (using GACT) or RNA (GACU) molecule. This succession is denoted by a series of a set of five different letters that indicate the order of the ...

, indicates that ''Neohygrocybe'' is

monophyletic In biological cladistics for the classification of organisms, monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of organisms which meets these criteria: # the grouping contains its own most recent co ...

and forms a natural group distinct from ''Hygrocybe'' sensu stricto.

Habitat and Distribution

In Europe, ''Neohygrocybe'' species are typically found in agriculturally unimproved, short-sward grasslands (including pastures and lawns). Elsewhere, they are most frequently found in woodland. The genus is cosmopolitan.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q14947261 Hygrophoraceae Agaricales genera Taxa named by Josef Herink Taxa described in 1958