Hygrophorus hypothejus

A species associated with conifers, especially pines, with a preference for acidic soils.

Pileipellis with a superficial layer of filamentous hyphae, 3-7 µm wide, widely separated by gelification, with emergent terminal elements with rounded apices; beneath these lie more compacted, interwoven, branched hyphae with faint brownish intracellular pigment, septate with clamped septa.

Cystidia and other sterile hymenial elements absent.

Lamellar trama bilateral.

Basidia cylindric-clavate, 40-50 µm long and 5-7 µm wide, with basal clamps, 4-spored.

Spores ellipsoidal, smooth, hyaline, thin-walled, with a prominent eccentric apiculus at one end, one or more oil or lipid droplets inside, inamyloid in Melzer's reagent.