# Pinkgills (*entoloma*)

Pinkgills are colorful mushrooms that can brighten up the forest floor! They have a special pink gill structure that makes them look very unique.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** Forests, particularly in damp and shady areas.
- **Also known as:** Forest gills, Mushroom friends, Pink mushrooms

![Pinkgills](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Entoloma_sinuatum_group.JPG&width=800)

Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Archenzo assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Entoloma_sinuatum_group.JPG)

## Appearance

The Pinkgills typically has a cap that can be conical, bell-shaped, or flattened, often in shades of white, grey, or brown. Its most distinctive feature is the pink gills found underneath the cap, which become more pronounced as the spores mature. These pink gills make it visually different from most other mushrooms.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Entolomatales
- **Family:** Entolomataceae
- **Genus:** Entoloma

## Interesting facts

- Many Pinkgill species are tricky to identify, even for expert mushroom hunters.
- Some Pinkgills smell like flour or even fish when fresh!
- Their pink gills aren't always bright pink; they darken as spores mature!
- There are hundreds of different Pinkgill species found worldwide!

## Special abilities

- **Spore Storm:** Pinkgills can release millions of pink spores, helping them spread far and wide to new growing spots.
- **Nutrient Recycling Master:** Pinkgills has special enzymes that helps them break down dead plants, returning vital nutrients to the soil.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 3-15 cm
- **Edible:** poisonous
- **Size:** 2-10 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** soil
- **Season:** Summer to fall
- **Spore Color:** Pink

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Slugs munch on their caps.
- **Eaten by:** Eastern Grey Squirrel (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — Squirrels sometimes nibble on them.
- **Depends on:** [Norway Spruce](https://www.snappit.app/explore/norway-spruce) (*Picea abies*) — Breaks down dead spruce needles.
- **Depends on:** [Silver Birch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/silver-birch) (*Betula pendula*) — Decomposes fallen birch leaves.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
- [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

Always ask an adult before touching or picking mushrooms.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Pinkgills?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Pinkgills?

3-15 cm

### Is Pinkgills edible?

poisonous

### How big is Pinkgills?

2-10 cm

### Where is Pinkgills usually found?

Forests, particularly in damp and shady areas.

### What does Pinkgills grow on?

soil

### When is Pinkgills in season?

Summer to fall

### What color are Pinkgills spores?

Pink

## Where to spot

- [Ole Bull State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ole-bull-state-park) — Pennsylvania, US · State Park

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

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Source: [Pinkgills: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pinkgills)