The
Hygrophoraceae are a
family of
fungi in the
order Agaricales. Originally conceived as containing white-spored, thick-gilled
agarics (gilled mushrooms), including
Hygrophorus and
Hygrocybe species (the waxcaps or waxy caps), DNA evidence has extended the limits of the family, so it now contains not only agarics, but also
basidiolichens and
corticioid fungi. Species are thus diverse and are variously
ectomycorrhizal,
lichenized, associated with
mosses, or
saprotrophic. The family contains 25
genera and over 600 species. None is of any great economic importance, though fruit bodies of some
Hygrocybe and
Hygrophorus species are considered edible and may be collected for sale in local markets.