Gomphidius glutinosus, also known as the slimy spike cap can be found all over Vancouver Island. It has gills but is a member of the order Boletales, along with the boletes that incidentally do not have gills. The mushrooms sprout in spruce forests here on the Island. Look for them in the fall months. Initially, they are completely covered with a slimy veil, breaking through to reveal a purple-to-brownish cap. Opinions differ on the suitability of this mushroom for the table, some guides hold it in high regard, while others view it with caution. I personally have never tried one, so I can give no opinion on this.
This mushroom sort of looks like a child’s toy top, the mushroom has a dark purple to brownish cap up to 12 cm in diameter, and the whole mushroom is often covered with a slimy veil when young. The fungus breaks free of this veil as it grows, leaving some strands and an indistinct ring. The whitish flesh will have little taste or smell. The widely spaced decurrent gills are waxy in texture, with a hairy surface. The stem will have a yellow tinge at its base, just pull down the surrounding moss or duff to see this.
I have quite a good patch of these Hideous Gomphidius surrounding the fir tree in my yard this year. I’ve never known anybody to eat them, but since they’re reportedly edible, I thought I’d give one a try. I peeled the slimy cap, and sliced it up, and fried in butter. It’s true they don’t taste like much of anything, but I’ll admit that it was quite a bit better than I had expected. Peeling the cap did the trick to eliminate any sliminess, and quite honestly, I find that choice boletes even have a slicker, more slippery mouthfeel to them than these. Would I recommend them though? Nah, not really. Why eat them when there are many far better wild species to choose from? If you don’t like flavour for some reason, then give Hideous Gomphidius a try.