Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca

Scientific nameHygrophoropsis aurantiaca (Wulfen) Maire  
Derivation of nameHygros means "moisture" or "wetness,"
phoros means "bearing" or "carrying," and opsis means
"resembling" or "similar to." Hygrophoropsis, then, means
"resembling Hygrophorus."  Aurantiaca means
"orange-colored."
Synonyms: Cantharellus aurantiacus (Wulfen) Fr.;
Clitocybe aurantiaca
(Wulfen) Fr.   
Common name(s): False chanterelle 
Phylum:   Basidiomycota
Order:   Boletales
Family:   Hygrophoropsidaceae
Occurrence on wood substrate: Saprobic; single to grouped
or scattered on the ground under conifers and on decayed
conifer wood and other conifer debris; summer through fall.   
Dimensions: Caps 2.5-9 cm wide; stipes 2.5-10 cm long and
0.5-1.5 cm thick.   
Cap:  Smooth to minutely velvety; color variable but usually
orange-yellow to orange-brown, darker in the center.      
Gills: Decurrent, thin but with blunt edges, repeatedly forked;
pale yellow-orange to bright orange..
Spore print: White.
Stipe: Central to eccentric; dry; finely hairy; often curved;
pale yellow to orange.
Veil: Absent.
Comments: Called the false chanterelle due to its
resemblance to Cantharellus cibarius, a true chanterelle.
Cantharellus cibarius, however, has decurrent, forked, blunt
ribs and folds instead of true gills and is more yellowish in
color.

More information at MushroomExpert.com:



Figure 1. A field collection of Hygrophoropsis
aurantiaca
. Note the variation in color and the darker
cap center. Photo © Rick Van de Poll.


Figure 2. The gills appear somewhat blunt and are
repeatedly forked, a feature better observed in Figure 5.
Photo © Rick Van de Poll.


Figure 3. The pine needles indicate a typical habitat for
this species. Photo © John Pliscke.


Figure 4. This was a display specimen at the 2011
NAMA foray at Clarion University in PA. The
specimens were placed on grass for the photograph.
Photo © Gary Emberger.


Figure 5. Note the repeatedly forked gills which are
somewhat blunt-edged. Compare to Omphalotus
illudens
, a poisonous species that Hygrophoropsis
aurantiaca
is sometimes confused with. Omphalotus
illudens
has sharp-edged, unforked gills, and grows in
clusters.
Photo © Gary Emberger.

 

Home | Shape key | Glossary

This page © 2025 by Gary Emberger