Gomphidius subroseus

Pileus
Cap 3-6 cm broad, convex, becoming broadly convex to plane, sometimes depressed at the disc; margin at first inrolled to incurved, then decurved, plane to occasionally uplifted in age; surface viscid when moist, smooth, rose-red to pale pink, lighter at the margin; flesh thick, white, firm, unchanging or slowly darkening when cut; odor and taste mild.

Lamellae
Gills decurrent, subdistant, white, thick, waxy, becoming greyish-black at maturity from deposited spores.

Stipe
Stipe 3-7 cm long, 0.7-1.8 cm thick, solid,more or less equal or abruptly narrowed at the base, surface white, moist, with scattered appressed scales at the apex; below the veil, viscid, white, shading to yellowish at the base, glabrous to fibrillose, sometimes discoloring brownish where handled; veil thin, white, fibrillose, embedded in clear slime, forming a thin, glutinous ring, soon blackish from adhering spores.

Spores
Spores 16-20 x 4.5-6.5 µm, subfusiform to narrowly elliptical, smooth; spore print black.

Habitat
Solitary to scattered under conifers, especially Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii); fruiting from early to mid-winter.

Edibility
Edible, but mediocre; the viscid cuticle (pellicle) should be removed.

Comments
This handsome Gomphidius is characterized by a rose-red to pink, viscid cap, white, decurrent gills, thin slimy veil, and a yellowish stipe base. The well-spaced, white, waxy gills of young specimens sometimes causes confusion with species of Hygrophorus. The latter, however, can be distinguished by white to pale-colored, not blackish spores. Other Gomphidius species in our area include Gomphidius glutinosus and G. oregonensis. Gomphidius glutinosus is found commonly under Douglas fir and has a greyish to lilac-grey, viscid cap. Gomphidius oregonensis tends to be larger, frequently occurs in clusters, has a dingy-orange, reddish-brown, to greyish-brown, viscid cap, and smaller spores.