What is "gliophorus"

Gliophorus is a genus of agaric fungi in the family Hygrophoraceae. Gliophorus species belong to a group known as waxcaps in English, sometimes also waxy caps in North America or waxgills in New Zealand. The genus was described by Czech mycologist Josef Herink in 1958, but is currently synonymized with Hygrocybe by most standard authorities. It has, however, been adopted in New Zealand which has an unusually large number of native Gliophorus species.

Recent molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, suggests that Gliophorus is monophyletic and forms a natural group distinct from Hygrocybe sensu stricto. It is therefore likely to be adopted more widely in the near future, as noted in the most recent (2010) European guide to waxcaps.

Species are distinguished from most other waxcaps by producing basidiocarps (fruit bodies) with extremely slimy or glutinous caps and stems.