Hygrophorus gliocyclus

Pileus
Cap 3-9 cm broad, convex, becoming plano-convex to centrally depressed in age, occasionally with a broad, low umbo; margin at first inrolled, then decurved, to plane; surface glabrous, glutinous when moist, appearing varnished when dry, cream to cream-yellow, the disc usually slightly darker; context white, unchanging, soft, thick at the disc, thin at the margin; odor and taste not distinctive.

Lamellae
Gills when young, adnate to subdecurrent, decurrent in age, subdistant, thick, waxy, sometimes intervenose, colored like the cap, i.e. cream-yellow; lamellulae 2-3 seried.

Stipe
Stipe 3.0-5.0 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm thick, equal to subventricose; surface at apex whitish, minutely scaly to fibrillose, lower portion cream-yellow, covered with slime; partial veil glutinous leaving a superior, evanescent, slimy ring.

Spores
Spores 8.5-10 x 4.5-6.0 µm, ellipsoid, smooth, inamyloid; spore print white.

Habitat
Scattered to gregarious under conifers; fruiting from mid to late winter.

Edibility
Edible, but maybe too slimy to be of value.

Comments
Fieldmarks of this robust Hygrophorous include a slimy, cream-yellow cap and stipe, well-spaced decurrent gills and a glutinous ring (when fresh). Another commonly found, viscid Hygrophorous species is H. eburneus. It has a more slender aspect and is distinguished by its white color and lack of an annulus.