''Gomphidius oregonensis'', commonly known as insidious gomphidius'','' is a species of fungus. With age, the fruiting body becomes murky and "insidious" in appearance, hence its common name. ''G. oregonensis'' can be distinguished by its spores which are the shortest in its

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

, typically less than 14 μm long. Earlier in its growth, it can be difficult to distinguish from other members of its genus, such as ''G. glutinosus'''','' the most common and widespread species. ''G. oregonensis'' is found only in western North America, most commonly on the

Pacific Coast Pacific coast may be used to reference any coastline that borders the Pacific Ocean. Geography Americas North America Countries on the western side of North America have a Pacific coast as their western or south-western border. One of th ...

. It is edible.

Taxonomy

''Gomphidius oregonensis'' was first described in 1897 by botanist

Charles Horton Peck Charles Horton Peck (March 30, 1833 – July 11, 1917) was an American mycologist of the 19th and early 20th centuries. He was the New York State Botanist from 1867 to 1915, a period in which he described over 2,700 species of North American fu ...

. The genus name is derived from the Greek , ', meaning "nail-bolt" and relates to the shape of the mushroom. ''Oregonensis'' pertains to the area in which the species was first observed. Orson K. Miller made it the

type species In International_Code_of_Zoological_Nomenclature, zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the spe ...

of the section ''Microsorus'' in the genus ''Gomphidius''.

Description

The cap is initially convex and almost peg-like, reaching in width. The surface is smooth and slimy when damp. The color can vary from whitish to a dull pinkish or color of salmon flesh when young. With maturity, the cap flattens, possibly becoming depressed, and turns purplish to reddish-brown. The flesh is soft and white or grayish. The

gills A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...

are decurrent, fairly even, closely spaced and are somewhat waxy in appearance. They are white to grayish in color, turning black as ripening occurs. The stalk is up to 15 cm long and 1–5 cm thick. The diameter may be equal from top to bottom or either tapered or swollen at the base. The color transitions from a whitish shade in the upper portion above the veil to a bright yellow below. The veil is whitish with a thread-like texture, hidden beneath a layer of slime. The veil seems to disappear as it approaches the stalk, where it forms a slimy, almost hairy

ring (The) Ring(s) may refer to: * Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry * To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell Arts, entertainment, and media Film and TV * ''The Ring'' (franchise), a ...

. This ring often blackens as the mushrooms age and the spores begin to release. The spores are smooth, spindle-shaped and elliptical, with each spore measuring 10–14 μm long, the smallest in the genus ''Gomphidius''. The spore print is dark gray to black.

Habitat and distribution

''Gomphidius oregonensis'' can be found in western North America from October to December, most commonly on the Pacific Coast. It is found on the ground under conifers, particularly

Douglas-fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is the tallest tree in the Pinaceae family. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Or ...

. Mushrooms may be solitary or in clusters and often in colonies with ''G. glutinosus'', and frequently with species from the genus ''

Suillus ''Suillus'' is a genus of basidiomycete fungi in the family Suillaceae and order Boletales. Species in the genus are associated with trees in the pine family (Pinaceae), and are mostly distributed in temperate locations in the Northern Hemisphe ...

''.

Edibility

''Gomphidius oregonensis'' is edible, with a mild flavor and odor. Without proper preparation (removing the cap cuticle), the mushroom is slimy in texture.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5581254 Boletales Fungi of North America Fungi described in 1897 Taxa named by Charles Horton Peck Fungus species Edible fungi of California