FunDiS West Coast Rare Fungi Challenge
Bubblegum pink caps
peeking out of the snow!
Description
What else could it be?
When you are looking out for this species, you might come across some other snow bank species, such as Pholiota nubigena that has a smell that combines bubblegum and turpentine; it grows on wood.
Make records of all the others too! Their habitat is also at risk.
Never eat wild mushrooms without a confident identification!
Contact Poison Control if you think you have eaten a poisonous mushroom: 1-800-222-1222
When & Where?
Habitat
More information
Siegel N, Vellinga EC, Schwarz C, Castellano MA, Ikeda D. 2018. A field guide to the rare fungi of California’s National Forests. Bookmobile: pg. 76-77. Accessible at:
mykoweb.com/CAF/PDF/Rare_Fungi_of_CA_National_Forests.pdf
iNaturalist (57 obs. in Western North America):
inaturalist.org/taxa/901748-Hygrophorus-goetzei
Mushroom Observer (10 obs. in Western North America):
mushroomobserver.org/name/show_name/43428
What to do if you find it:
Make an observation
The best thing you can do is take lots of photographs and notes. Typically, smartphones will automatically georeference any photos taken, but it is good practice to note your exact location, preferably with GPS coordinates, and be sure to note what trees are nearby, and any other salient features. For example, was it growing under a hemlock, or Douglas fir? Did it have a particular smell?
Collect a specimen
If you are in an area where it is allowed and have any necessary permits, we strongly urge you to create a vouchered collection. This means a dried specimen for deposit in a herbarium, where researchers can access it for things like DNA sequencing. If you don’t know how to do this, please see:
fundis.org/sequence/sequence/dry-your-specimens
In California, collecting mushrooms is usually allowed in National Forests with a permit. Permits can be obtained at the headquarters of the National Forest you're visiting, and are usually inexpensive or free. However, restrictions vary among the individual National Forests, so make sure to find out the specifics when picking up your permit. In Oregon and Washington, you are typically allowed to collect one gallon without a permit on most public lands; but not all, so be sure to check!
Don’t forget to look for other mushrooms and fungi while you’re at it! Keep your eyes open for mushrooms growing near snow: many are rare, so even if you haven’t found this one, you’ve got something neat! Since you’ve already got iNaturalist open, why not record your other finds?
Most mushrooms are like fruit: picking an apple from an apple tree doesn’t hurt the tree. In the same way, harvesting mushrooms does not generally hurt the mycelium of the fungus. We do still recommend leaving some mushrooms behind, and not picking perennial mushrooms, like brackets and conks.
Who to contact
If you think you’ve found this mushroom, and you’re not sure about any of the above, such as how to report the find, whether you can collect it, or what to do with it once you have collected it, please contact us!