''Chroogomphus'' is a genus of mushrooms commonly known as pine-spikes or spike-caps based on their shape and because they are often found growing in association with pine trees. The genus is distributed throughout the

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...

including North America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia.Aime M, Miller OK. (2005). Proposal to Conserve the Name ''Chroogomphus'' Against ''Brauniellula'' (Gomphidiaceae). Taxon 55(1):227–228.
abstract

Taxonomy

These fungi are members of the family Gomphidiaceae which are agaricoid members of the Boletales (

suborder Order ( la, ordo) is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between family and class. In biological classification, the order is a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms and ...

Suillineae). Related to the genus '' Gomphidius'' (in which they were once classified), ''Chroogomphus'' are distinguished from ''Gomphidius'' by their lack of a partial veil. The genus name is derived from the Greek χρω- chroo-, meaning 'skin' or 'colour', and 'γομφος' ''gomphos'' meaning 'plug' or 'large wedge-shaped nail'.

Ecology

Members of this genus have been thought to be

ectomycorrhizal An ectomycorrhiza (from Greek ἐκτός ', "outside", μύκης ', "fungus", and ῥίζα ', "root"; pl. ectomycorrhizas or ectomycorrhizae, abbreviated EcM) is a form of symbiotic relationship that occurs between a fungal symbiont, or mycobi ...

with various species of pine, however, there is now evidence that all members of the Gomphidiaceae are parasitic upon other boletes. Specifically, ''Chroogomphus'' species are thought to be parasitic on various

conifer Conifers are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single ...

-associated '' Suillus'' species, with this parasitism often being highly species-specific.Agerer R. (1990). Studies on ectomycorrhizae XXIV: Ectomycorrhizae of ''Chroogomphus helveticus'' and ''C. rutilus'' (Gomphidiaceae, Basidiomyetes) and their relationship to those of ''Suillus'' and ''Rhizopogon''. Nova Hedwigia 50:1–63.Olsson PA, et al. (2000). Molecular and anatomical evidence for a three-way association between ''Pinus sylvestris'' and the ectomycorrhizal fungi ''Suillus bovinus'' and ''Gomphidius roseus''. Mycological Research 104:1372–1378.
abstract
In the Pacific Northwest of North America, ''C. tomentosus'' is found with western hemlock ('' Tsuga heterophylla'') and Douglas-fir ('' Pseudotsuga menziesii''), while ''C. helveticus'' of Europe is found in conifer forests containing spruce (''

Picea A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' (), a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Earth. ''Picea'' is the sole genus in the subfami ...

'' ssp.).

Species

Chroogomphus rutilus ''Chroogomphus rutilus'', commonly known as the brown slimecap or the copper spike, is a species of fungus in the Gomphidiaceae family. First described scientifically as ''Agaricus rutilus'' by Jacob Christian Schäffer in 1774, it was transferre ...

''
image
, found in Europe, is the type species for this genus. It has been the subject of investigation as the source of antibiotics, as well as other potentially useful

secondary compounds Secondary metabolites, also called specialised metabolites, toxins, secondary products, or natural products, are organic compounds produced by any lifeform, e.g. bacteria, fungi, animals, or plants, which are not directly involved in the norma ...

. The cap is up to 10 cm in diameter and red-brown in colour. The widely spaced gills are brownish-orange and decurrent with black to brownish-yellow

spore In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plants, algae, f ...

s. The stalk is brownish-yellow and tapers toward the base. The flesh is orange to salmon-coloured and turns violet when chewed. '' Chroogomphus ochraceus''
image
of North America is very similar in habit and appearance to ''C. rutilus'', and the latter name has often been misapplied to ''C. ochraceus''.Wood M, Stevens F. (2004).''
''Chroogomphus ochraceus''.
MykoWeb (website). ''

Chroogomphus vinicolor ''Chroogomphus vinicolor'', commonly known as the wine-cap Chroogomphus or the pine spike, is a species of mushroom in the family Gomphidiaceae. Found in North America and the Dominican Republic, mushrooms grow on the ground under pine trees. Ba ...

''
image
, another North American species, is likewise similar to ''C. rutilus'', although ''C. vinicolor'' tends to be smaller. The cap color is variable in both species, with ''C. vinicolor'' being, as its scientific name suggests, more wine-colored while ''C. rutilus'' is usually more brown. The most distinctive differences between these three species are microscopic.Kuo M. (2005)

MushroomExpert.Com (website). Kuo M. (2005)

MushroomExpert.Com (website). Other species within genus ''Chroogomphus'' include:

Edibility

''Chroogomphus rutilus'', ''C. ochraceus'', ''C. oregonensis'', ''C. tomentosus'', and ''C. vinicolor'' are edible and may be interchangeable for culinary purposes. They are not, however, regarded as flavorful and possess neither a distinctive taste nor odor. One food writer states about ''C. rutilus'' and ''C. vinicolor'':

Taxonomy

Ecology

Species

Edibility

References

Further reading