Gomphidius subroseus

[ Basidiomycetes > Boletales > Gomphidiaceae > Gomphidius . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

The slimy, pinkish cap, the gills that run down the stem, the "slime veil" sheathing the stem, the blackish spore print, and the yellowing stem base define Gomphidius subroseus, which is fairly widely distributed under conifers in North America--though it is much more common in the west under Douglas-fir.

Collectors have often noted that Gomphidius subroseus is frequently found with Suillus lakei in the vicinity, and it was long thought that this was a coincidence enabled by the fact that both mushrooms were mycorrhizal with Douglas-fir. However, recent research (see Binder & Hibbett, 2006) suggests that the Gomphidius can actually parasitize the Suillus, penetrating the mycorrhizae already established between the Suillus and the tree, and robbing both organisms of nutrients.

Description:

Ecology: Mycorrhizal with conifers, especially Douglas-Fir; growing alone or scattered; widely distributed, but rare in eastern North America; common in the Rocky Mountains and on the Pacific coast.

Cap: 4-7 cm wide; convex; smooth; very slimy; rosy red to pinkish.

Gills: Running down the stem; close or almost distant; sometimes thick and "waxy" looking; pale at first, eventually smoky gray.

Stem: 3.5-10 cm long; .5-1.5 cm wide; with a fibrous partial veil that is typically poorly developed and hard to distinguish underneath the "slime veil," a thick layer of clear slime sheathing the young stem and covering the gills; sometimes with a ring or ring zone that becomes blackened by spores; white above, bright yellow below; discoloring and bruising black.

Flesh: White.

Odor and Taste: Not distinctive.

Spore Print: Purplish gray to black.

Microscopic Features: Spores 15-20 x 4.5-7 µ; smooth; narrowly elliptical.

REFERENCES: Kauffman, 1925. (Kauffman, 1925; Singer, 1949; Smith, 1949; Miller, 1971; Smith, Smith & Weber, 1979; Thiers, 1985; Arora, 1986; Phillips, 1991/2005; Lincoff, 1992; Miller et al., 2002; Miller, 2003; McNeil, 2006; Miller & Miller, 2006.) Herb. Kuo 0812030, 08130701.

Further Online Information:

Gomphidius subroseus at MykoWeb
Gomphidius subroseus at Roger's Mushrooms

Gomphidius subroseus alongside Suillus lakei in Colorado; see the discussion to the left.

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2008, December). Gomphidius subroseus. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/gomphidius_subroseus.html