| Practical ecological knowledge for the temperate reader. |
Family: Gomphidiaceae [E-flora]
"THIS genus is readily recognized by its soft, somewhat waxy decurrent gills, slimy-viscid cap, white or pallid flesh, and smoky-black spores. In addition, the base or lower portion of the stem is brilliant yellow in most species-a very striking and telltale feature. Gomphidius is most likely to be confused with Chroogomphus, which has orange to yellowish or pinkish flesh, and the waxy caps (Hygrophoraceae), which have white spores. Gomphidius species are mycorrhizal exclusively with conifers-particularly fir, spruce, Douglas-fir, hemlock, and larch- but in pine forests they are largely supplanted by Chroogomphus." [MushDemyst]
"There also are a number of secondary characters, such as the size of the cystidia and the size of the spores, with a tendency of the basidiocarps in Gomphidius to blacken when bruised, a feature not characteristic of Suillus but present in the genus to some extent." [Smith TBM]
"These two genera [Gomphidius and Chroogomphus], which formerly were lumped in Gomphidius, include the only mushrooms that have both black spores and decurrent gills. The root of their names, gomph (Greek for “bolt” or “nail”), refers to the shape of the young mushrooms. Gomphidius is readily recognized by its soft, somewhat waxy, wide-spaced, decurrent gills, slimy-viscid cap, white or pallid flesh, smoky black spores, and, in most species, the brilliant yellow stipe base. The veil is usually gelatinous and disappears or remains only as a zone on the upper stipe, on which the black spores accumulate as they fall from the gills." [Trudell MPNW]
Local Sp.
"Agerer et al. (1996) describe the close association of Chroogomphus and Gomphidius spp. within ECM formed by Rhizopogon spp." [Cairney EF]
"Habitat / Range single to scattered, or occasionally cespitose [in tufts], under many different conifers; June to October, (Miller(4)), under conifers especially spruce (Lincoff(2)), summer, fall" [E-flora]
"Similar Species Gomphidius oregonensis is similar but Gomphidius glutinosus does not often grow in clumps and usually has a darker or purpler cap when young (colors overlap however, and definitive identification relies on the smaller spores of Gomphidius oregonensis - 10-13 microns long). Gomphidius smithii is pale purple-vinaceous as opposed to dark purple-drab to vinaceous-drab for Gomphidius glutinosus; in addition G. smithii has a thicker gelatinous veil, and microscopically "the color reactions of the oleiferous hyphae seem significant to some degree. In G. glutinosus they are bluish green to yellowish and rarely as dark purple as in G. smithii", (Miller(4), Latin names italicized). Gomphidius subroseus is typically pink to ocher red as opposed to salmon, purple, to reddish brown for Gomphidius glutinosus, and typically has fascicles of caulocystidia at apex of stem (but caulocystidia, scattered or in small loose fascicles, occasionally found in specimens otherwise typical of G. glutinosus), but it can at times be difficult to separate, (Miller(4)). Gomphidius maculatus has gills that become wine red where pressed, then spot brown, whereas gills of G. glutinosus do not redden where pressed, (Moser). G. maculatus lacks a veil and is particularly associated with larch." [E-flora]
"Both this species and Gomphidius subroseus Kauffman are typical members of Gomphidius, with viscid caps, waxy decurrent gills, black spores, soft flesh, and yellow stipe bases. Gomphidius glutinosus is larger (cap diameter up to 10 cm, 4 in., or larger) and duller colored, with a cap that is purplish gray to purplish brown when young." [Trudell MPNW]
"Edibility: yes (Lincoff(2)), good but remove cap cuticle first, (Lincoff(1))" [E-flora]
Synonyms
References
"Habitat / Range single to gregarious on ground under mixed and pure conifer stands, most frequently associated with species of Larix (larch), (Miller(4)), associated with larches (Moser), in groups in mountains beneath larch (Lincoff), summer through late fall (Miller(14))" [E-flora]
"Similar Species Gomphidius glutinosus and Gomphidius oregonensis have a veil and are not particularly associated with larch" [E-flora]
"Edibility yes, good, (peel cap cuticle off first), (Lincoff)" [E-flora]
References
"Summary: Gomphidius oregonensis is identified as a Gomphidius by the viscid-slimy cap, white flesh except in base of stem where it is yellow, soft decurrent gills, and smoky-black spores. It is identified as Gomphidius oregonensis by subtle features including the shortest spores of the genus, and the tendency to grow in cespitose clusters. Collections were examined from WA, OR, ID, CA, and MT, (Miller). There are collections from BC at the University of British Columbia and the Pacific Forestry Centre." [E-flora]
"Spore deposit: smoky gray to black (Arora)" [E-flora]
"Habitat / Range single, scattered or gregarious on ground under Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir) and other conifers, "often in small clumps which originate deep in soil and may include one or more aborted fruiting bodies", (Arora), occasionally single, usually cespitose [in tufts], on ground under conifers, August to November, (Miller), summer, fall" [E-flora]
"Similar Species Gomphidius glutinosus does not often grow in clumps and usually has a darker or purpler cap when young (colors overlap however, and definitive identification relies on the larger spores of Gomphidius glutinosus - 15-21 microns long). Gymnopilus subroseus can be similar but Gymnopilus oregonensis is larger with less red in the cap and more yellow in the thicker stem, and more tendency to grow in clumps. Gomphidius maculatus lacks a veil and is particularly associated with larch." [E-flora]
Edibility "Edible, but its sliminess makes it undesirable-except as a possible escargot substitute. To clean the cap, simply peel off the slimy pellicle (skin)." [MushDemyst]
References
"Summary: the distinguishing characteristic is the pale gray to vinaceous-gray to light purplish vinaceous to vinaceous-buff cap color, other features include slimy viscid bald cap, sometimes pinkish reaction when flesh cut, decurrent white then grayish gills, white glutinous stem that enlarges downward then tapers to a point, stem sometimes yellow at extreme base, glutinous partial veil, scattered to single growth under conifers, blackish spore deposit, and elongate spores; Miller(19) (2003) regarded this taxon as a synonym of G. glutinosus" [E-flora]
"Spore deposit: blackish (Phillips)" [E-flora]
"Habitat / Range scattered to single under conifers, especially Pinus contorta (Lodgepole Pine) and Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir), (Miller(4)), under Douglas-fir, August to November, (Phillips), summer, fall" [E-flora]
"Similar Species like G. subroseus in size but G. subroseus more yellow in stem and more red in cap; Gomphidius glutinosus is dark purple-drab to vinaceous-drab as opposed to pale purple-vinaceous for Gomphidius smithii, in addition G. glutinosus has a thinner gelatinous veil, and microscopically "the color reactions of the oleiferous hyphae seem significant to some degree. In G. glutinosus they are bluish green to yellowish and rarely as dark purple as in G. smithii", (Miller(4), Latin names italicized), Gomphidius glutinosus averages larger and is more highly colored (gray-brown to purple-gray or reddish-brown) and has more yellow in stem" [E-flora]
"Edibility yes (Phillips)" [E-flora]
References
"Summary: Gomphidius subroseus is identified as Gomphidius by viscid-slimy cap, white flesh except in base of stem where it is yellow, soft decurrent gills, and smoky-black spores. It is identified as Gomphidius subroseus by modest size and rosy-red to pink cap. Gomphidius subroseus is found in BC, WA, OR, and ID. Miller examined collections from AB, QC, NS, CA, ID, ME, MI, MT, OR, and WA, (Miller(4)). It is common on foray lists in BC and there are collections for BC at the Pacific Forestry Center and the University of British Columbia." [E-flora]
"Spore deposit: smoky-gray to black (Arora)" [E-flora]
"Habitat / Range widely scattered to gregarious or occasionally in tufts on ground under conifers, especially Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas-fir), (Arora), single to scattered on ground under conifers especially Picea (spruce), Pseudotsuga (Douglas-fir), and Abies (fir), fruiting from September to December, in the Rocky Mountains from June to October, (Miller(4)), summer, fall, winter" [E-flora] "Gomphidius roseus (Fr.) P. Karst in association with S.[Suillus] bovinus (Singer 1949; Agerer 1990)." [Cairney EF]
"Similar Species Gomphidius glutinosus is typically dingy purple to reddish brown or salmon, as opposed to pink to ocher red for G. subroseus, but they can at times be difficult to separate - an additional difference is that Gomphidius subroseus has fascicles of caulocystidia at the top of the stem, (Miller(4))." [E-flora]
Edibility: "Edible, but rather bland; peel off the slimy pellicle (skin) before cooking it." [MushDemyst]
References