Thaxterogaster pingue (Zeller) Smith & Singer Fruit body 1-4cm across, club shaped to flattened; ochre to olive yellowish in color; greasy to the touch. Spore mass sponge-like mass of yellowish-brown unformed gills, which darken to rusty brown as the spores mature. Stem 1-4cm long, rudimentary; color variable from whitish to ochre or sometimes with violaceous tints. Odor yeasty. Taste nasty. Spores ellipsoid, slightly roughened, 14-17.5 x 7.5-9.5µ, brownish in 3 percent KOH. Habitat under conifers, especially spruce. Found in the Pacific Northwest and the Rockies. Season September-November. Not edible, it is thought. Comment Closely related to the genus Cortinarius, probably an underground form that can develop in drier conditions than an ordinary, above-ground mushroom.