Witch's Cap
How is a Witch Like a Mushroom
Witch’s Cap
Blackening Waxcap
Hygrocybe conica
A bewitching specimen who has the confounding habit of morphing from a warm, bright, glossy gal who could light up any social function, to a matte black introvert who stays home with the blinds drawn and the phone on Do Not Disturb. What causes this transformation? Perhaps she has tired of small talk, her eyes weary of all the flash bulbs capturing her beauty, so like a beloved actress who silently retired, she cleverly faded into her surroundings. Or, perhaps, we could unearth a scientific or a folkloric explanation for this phenomenon. Let us inquire.
Appearance
How suiting that she’s an autumn loving gal – the season of the witch. She’ll keep on flourishing right through winter in warmer climes. Like most women of repute, you can spot her from a mile away. This visibility is mostly due to the bright colors of her dress: an array of red, orange and yellow, like captured sunbeams. The hues are highly variable – just like us witches, amiright?
