Gliophorus is one of the wax-gill mushrooms, a group of small, brightly-coloured, saprobic, soil-inhabiting fungi which have brittle flesh with a waxy feel when crushed between the fingers. The main genera of wax-gills are Hygrophorus, Humidicutis, Hygrocybe and Gliophorus. Gliophorus is recognised by the thick glutinous coating over the surface, the caps of Humidicutis are characteristically deeply split at the sides, the other genera distinguished on the basis of microscopic features of hyphae in the gills and the cap. Gills broadly attached to stalk or extending down the stalk, no ring on stalk. Spore print white.

There are at least 12 Gliophorus species reported for New Zealand, about half endemic. Some mycologisist do not accept that the glutinous covering found on Gliophorus species is a sufficiently important character to define a genus, and species in this genus may sometimes be seen refered to Hygrocybe.

Brightly coloured wax-gills saprobic on soil and litter. Included in Hygrocybe by some authors, the genus is characterised by a very thick gelatinous coating on the cap.

Twelve species have been reported from New Zealand, only those listed below have descriptions or images available from NZFungi.