Key to the known species of Hygrophorus subgenus Colorai from China

1. Cheilocystidia and pleurocystidia absent ...........................................................................................................................................2

1. Cheilocystidia and pleurocystidia present ..........................................................................................................................................3

2. Pileus surface dry, raw umber to pale ochre...................................................................................................................... H. robustus

2. Pileus surface glutinous, dark yellow or olivaceous brown ...................................................................................... H. viridiflavidus

3. Floccules at the stipe apex absent.......................................................................................................................................................4

3. Floccules at the stipe apex present ...................................................................................................................................................13

4. Stipe apex has an annular zone...........................................................................................................................................................5

4. Stipe apex has none annular zone.......................................................................................................................................................7

5. Pileus blackish-brown to brown ...................................................................................................................................... H. annulatus

5. Pileus light yellow to yellow ..............................................................................................................................................................6

6. Pileus plane, with a broad small umbo........................................................................................................................... H. esculentus

6. Pileus plane, with a depressed center ................................................................................................................................ H. xiangjun

7. Pileus has reddish to purplish tinge ....................................................................................................................................................8

7. Pileus has brown tinge......................................................................................................................................................................11

8. Pileus> 15 cm diam.; basidiospores small, 5.5–7 × 3.5–4.8 μm .................................................................................... H. orientalis

8. Pileus <15 cm diam.; basidiospores slightly large ............................................................................................................................9

9. Pileus> 10 cm diam.; associated with Fagaceae ..............................................................................................................................10

9. Pileus <10 cm diam.; probably associated with Ericaceae or Theaceae .........................................................................................12

10. Pileus applanate, context thick (up to 2.4 cm .................................................................................................................. H. deliciosus

10. Pileus wavy and uplifted, context thin (0.4–0.9 cm .................................................................................................... H. qinggangjun

11. Pileus broadly convex or flat, slender basidia (41–57 × 6–10 μm)..................................................................................... H. alpinus

11. Pileus plane with a small umbo, shorter and wider basidia (33–45 × 8–11 μm................................................. H. pseudohypothejus

12. Basidiospores broad ellipsoid, Qm = 1.48, surface bacillate ornamentation .............................................................. H. parvirussula

12. Basidiospores narrow ellipsoid, Qm = 1.86, surface smooth...................................................................................... H. yunnanensis

13. Odor sweetish, reminiscent of bitter almonds ..................................................................................................................................14

13. Odor indistinct ..................................................................................................................................................................................15

14. Associated with Picea spp. ..................................................................................................................................... H. agathosmoides

14. Associated with Pinus spp. ............................................................................................................................................ H. pinophilus

15. Habitat in broad-leaved forests....................................................................................................................................... H. atrofuscus

15. Habitat in mixed broadleaf-conifer tree forests................................................................................................................................16

16. Pileus 4–7cm diam., yellowish-brown to brown, margin wavy and ruffled like the hem of a skirt ........................... H. brunneiceps

16. Pileus 3–4.5 cm diam., applanate, margin usually uplifted at maturity; fawn-colored to yellowish-brown near the margin, brown at centre ............................................................................................................................................................................... H. habaensis