About this fungus
Blackening Slime Spike is a fungus in the Gomphidiaceae family. Its habitat and field characteristics are summarised below.
A slimy, pale pinkish to brown Pacific North American mushroom that often grows in tight groups under Douglas-fir and darkens markedly with age.
What to check
Confirm thick, widely spaced gills running down the stem. They begin pale and become smoky grey to black as spores mature. The lower stem is yellow, surfaces darken when handled, and a slimy partial veil may leave a darkened zone rather than a firm ring. There is no volva.
Variation
Young caps can be pale pink, salmon or buff, becoming reddish-brown to nearly black. Rain strongly affects the amount of surface slime and mature spores darken both gills and veil remains.
Lookalikes
Gomphidius glutinosus and Gomphidius subroseus overlap in colour and form. Clustered growth, stem colour and cap tones help, but spore size may be needed. This species should not be assigned outside Pacific North America from appearance alone.
Habitat and range
Associated with Douglas-fir and other conifers in western North America, often in clusters. Gomphidius species obtain carbon through relationships involving nearby bolete fungi, so a simple direct mycorrhizal description is incomplete.
Food safety
Edible.
Use this profile to learn what to examine and compare, not as proof that a mushroom is safe to eat. Check the whole specimen and every important lookalike before reaching an identification.