# Rosy Slime Spike (*gomphidius subroseus*)

The Rosy Slime Spike is a colorful mushroom that looks like it has a rosy pink cap! Kids will love its unique shape and the way it grows in clusters on the forest floor.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** It lives in moist forests, often found near decaying wood.
- **Also known as:** Forest Spike, Pink Slime Fungus

![Rosy Slime Spike](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Gomphidius_subroseus_2.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Jason Hollinger, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gomphidius_subroseus_2.jpg)

## Appearance

The Rosy Slime Spike has a striking rose to reddish-pink cap, often very slimy when wet, that makes it stand out against forest greens. Its white gills darken to smoky gray-black with age, a stark contrast to its vibrant cap. Its stem is usually pale, sometimes with a yellowish base.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Boletales
- **Family:** Gomphidiaceae
- **Genus:** Gomphidius

## Interesting facts

- It helps recycle nutrients from the forest floor, a silent forest helper.
- Its sticky cap helps it pick up bits of debris, like fallen leaves, as it grows.
- The Rosy Slime Spike's bright color warns some animals, even if it's not poisonous!
- This mushroom often grows near pine trees, especially in older, undisturbed forests!

## Special abilities

- **Mycelial Parasite:** Rosy Slime Spike can 'steal' nutrients by parasitizing the underground networks (mycelium) of other fungi, helping it grow strong.
- **Slime Shield:** Rosy Slime Spike has a super-slimy cap that helps protect it from drying out and might deter hungry insects or snails.
- **Spore Launcher:** Rosy Slime Spike can release smoky gray spores that catch air currents, helping new fungi sprout far away.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 4-10 cm
- **Edible:** edible
- **Size:** 3-12 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** soil
- **Season:** Late summer to fall
- **Spore Color:** Smoky gray to black

## Ecological connections

- **Depends on:** [Eastern White Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-white-pine) (*Pinus strobus*) — often found growing near its roots.
- **Parasitizes:** American Slippery Jack (*Suillus americanus*) — grows on its underground mycelium.
- **Depends on:** [Eastern Hemlock](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-hemlock) (*Tsuga canadensis*) — can be found under these trees too.

## 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.

## Collections

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

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

No special safety notes yet.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Rosy Slime Spike?

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 Rosy Slime Spike?

4-10 cm

### Is Rosy Slime Spike edible?

edible

### How big is Rosy Slime Spike?

3-12 cm

### Where is Rosy Slime Spike usually found?

It lives in moist forests, often found near decaying wood.

### What does Rosy Slime Spike grow on?

soil

### When is Rosy Slime Spike in season?

Late summer to fall

### What color are Rosy Slime Spike spores?

Smoky gray to black

## Where to spot

- [Mount Elphinstone Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-elphinstone-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · 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*)

---

Source: [Rosy Slime Spike: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rosy-slime-spike)