Gomphidius glutinosus Slimy Spike

A distinctive fungus with a slimy fruiting body which has a grey-brown cap, sometimes with a purple tinge. The markedly decurrent gills, which are white at first, gradually become dark-grey to black from the production of its dark grey spores.. The gills are covered initially by a thick, slimy veil which comes away as the cap expands to leave a belt of tissue or a band on the stem. The base of the stem is vivid chrome yellow in colour. It is most common in northern Britain, particularly in Scotland and is surprisingly rare in Wales with very few records from south Wales. It has an ectomycorrhizal association with conifers, almost  exclusively with spruce. Although it is scarce in West Glamorgan there is a significant, albeit local  population in the Pelenna forest of Afan Forest Park where it appears  sometimes in large numbers under Sitka Spruce (Picea sithchensis), Although it is a gilled fungus and appears to be a typical agaric, it is in fact more closely related to the boletes.