Slimy spike or Rosy spike

Cap 4-10 cm across; hemispherical with an inrolled margin when young, later convex to flat with a shallow central depression. Color dark gray-brown, chocolate brown, almost black in wet weather; fading with age to brownish violet with darker spots. Surface very slimy, sticky; the skin peels off easily. Old mushrooms often have dark violet-black spots on the cap.

Cap 2-6 cm across; hemispherical with an inrolled margin when young, later convex to flat with a shallow central depression. Color bright pink, coral-pink, salmon-pink: distinctive and unmatched among the spikes. In old mushrooms it fades to pale pink or ochre-pink. Surface very slimy, sticky; the skin peels off easily.

Gilled hymenophore; gills decurrent, widely spaced (distant), thick, waxy. In young mushrooms whitish, later darkening to gray-black, almost black because of the dark spore print. Spore print dark brown to black. Decurrent gills plus darkening are the diagnostic features of the genus Gomphidius.

Gilled hymenophore; gills decurrent, distant, waxy, thick. In young mushrooms whitish, later darkening to gray-black, almost black because of the dark spore print. Spore print dark brown to black. Decurrent gills plus darkening are the diagnostic features of the genus Gomphidius.

Stem 4-9 cm tall, 1-2 cm thick, cylindrical, thick, fleshy, narrowed at the bottom. Color whitish at the top, with a characteristic bright yellow or lemon-yellow tint at the base: the key diagnostic feature of the species. Above the ring zone (the remains of the veil) it is whitish; below, with fine grayish fibers. A ring zone from a white slimy veil in the upper part, stronger in young mushrooms, indistinct in old ones.

Stem 3-7 cm tall, 0.8-1.5 cm thick, cylindrical, thinner and shorter than in other spikes. Color whitish to pale pink at the top, more intensely pink lower down. A ring zone from the veil in the upper part, faint. The stem base often has whitish mycelium.

Flesh fleshy, white in the cap, yellowish to yellow in the lower stem. When cut it turns slightly wine-pink in the stem. Smell faint, pleasantly mushroomy with a nutty note. Taste mild, not pronounced.

Flesh thin, whitish to pale pink, soft. When cut it turns slightly wine-pink. Smell faint, pleasantly mushroomy.

Faint, pleasantly mushroomy with a slight nutty or fruity note.

Faint, pleasantly mushroomy, with no distinctive notes.