Hygrophorus pudorinus

Swedish mycologist Elias Magnus Fries described it as Agaricus pudorinus in his 1821 work Systema Mycologicum.^[5] It became Hygrophorus pudorinus with the raising of Hygrophorus to genus rank. The species name is the Latin word pudorinus "blushing".^[6]

The species is classified in the subsection Pudorini of genus Hygrophorus, along with the closely related species H. erubescens and H. purpurascens.^[7]

The pink to golden cap is 5–12 cm (2–4+3⁄4 in) wide, convex and with a downrolled margin that is lighter in colour. The cap surface is sticky. The pink to yellow-white gills are decurrent. The thick stipe is 4–16 cm (1+5⁄8–6+1⁄4 in) tall and 1–3 cm (3⁄8–1+1⁄8 in) wide.^[8] The spore print is white and the oval spores measure 7–10 × 5–6 micrometres. The thick flesh is pale pink or orange to white. The mushroom does not bruise red and has no distinctive odour, though it can taste like turpentine.^[1]

Hygrophorus pudorinus is found in coniferous woodlands under fir and spruce trees^[9] across western and northeastern North America;^[1] it is particularly common in Canada^[9] and the Rocky Mountains.^[6] The mushrooms appear in groups or fairy rings in late summer and autumn.^[1] They often grow in boggy places in sphagnum moss.^[2]

Despite its taste, it is edible after cooking.^[9] Its variable appearance makes identification difficult and hence raises risk of misidentification.^[1]