A dark brown, conical-capped pinkgill that fruits in spring, often during morel season in eastern North America and soon after snowmelt in western mountains. It is listed among the poisonous Entoloma species. North American material is treated as an aggregate, and some collections may be undescribed species.
Poisonous; do not eat. Wikipedia lists E. vernum among the Entoloma species known to be poisonous; poisonous pinkgills cause gastrointestinal illness (vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain). First Nature reports it as inedible and MykoWeb lists its edibility as unknown. No specific toxin is named in the sources consulted.
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Habitat
On soil, scattered to gregarious. In eastern North America mainly in conifer plantations (especially red pine), also under tulip trees and oaks; in the West in humus or mossy soil under montane conifers soon after snowmelt. In Europe in unimproved grassland, often under conifers or birches, and on moss-rich banks. Spring.
Distribution
Widespread but uncommon in Europe, including scattered records in Britain (First Nature). Reported across North America: eastern collections from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Pennsylvania (MushroomExpert) and common in the Sierra Nevada and Cascades (MykoWeb). MushroomExpert notes that some North American collections, especially under hardwoods, differ from the European species.
Characteristics
Cap: 2-7.5 cm, conic to broadly conic with a persistent sharp umbo; dry, silky; dark to medium brown, sometimes slightly hygrophanous. Gills: narrowly attached or nearly free, beige or grayish brown becoming pinkish. Stem: 3-10 cm long, 3-8 mm thick, brownish, fibrillose, often twisted, hollow, with white basal mycelium. Flesh: thin, brownish. Odor: not distinctive, sometimes slightly mealy or foul. Spore print: deep pink. Spores: 8-11 x 5-8 um, angular (mostly 6-sided), smooth.
