Spindle Toughshank

Gymnopus fusipes (Bull.) Gray

2 Observations

3 months ago Last Observed

The Spindle Toughshank (Gymnopus fusipes) grows in dense clumps at the foot of old oak trees, and it is named for its unusual stem. Each stem swells in the middle and tapers to a long, rooting point, like an old-fashioned spindle. It is tough, grooved and darkens to reddish-brown below. The reddish-brown cap dries paler and often blotchy, and the pale gills often develop rusty spots.

It is a parasite on the roots of oak and occasionally beech, birch or sweet chestnut, and it can slowly weaken old trees. It fruits from June into November, often returning to the same tree year after year.

The Spotted Toughshank (Rhodocollybia maculata) also develops rusty spots, but it has a creamy cap and a straight stem and usually grows under conifers. Honey Fungus (Armillaria) also clusters at tree bases but has a ring. The Spindle Toughshank is far too tough to be worth eating.

Spore Print

Season

Native

unknown

Distribution

Widespread and common

Habitat

Usually in large clumps at the base of broadleaved trees, in particular Quercus but also Fagus, Betula and Castanea

Etymology

Gymnopus is from the Greek gymnos, 'naked', and pous, 'foot', after the bare stem. fusipes is from the Latin fusus, 'spindle', and pes, 'foot', after the spindle-shaped stem.

Associates

Betula, Castanea, Fagus, Quercus

Cap

Smooth and reddish-brown, drying paler and blotchy; often irregular in older specimens.

Colour
Shape	Convex, Expanded
Surface	Hygrophanous
Width	3 - 9 cm

Gills

The gills are emarginate to adnate and close, pale grey to reddish-brown. They are often marked with darker spots that become rusty with age.

Colour
Attachment	Emarginate, Adnate
Spacing	close

Flesh

The flesh is white, tough and fibrous, so the stem is hard to break. The smell is absent to rather sweet and the taste mild.

Colour
Odour	Nil to rather sweet
Taste	Mild

Stem

The stem is rooting, tapering and spindle-shaped, 5-11 cm tall, tough and smooth to lengthwise-grooved. The colour ranges from pale pinkish-brown through reddish-brown to blackish.