Parrot Mushrooms

Found a few western Parrot Mushrooms (Gliophorus psittacinus) in the hills east of Oakland, California yesterday. These mushrooms have a slimy appearance due to a coat of sticky material that prevents insects like springtails from being able to traverse their surfaces and eat the gills before spores are mature. This mushroom can vary wildly in color from green to pink to yellow and sometimes they will be a swirl of all of these colors. Although not toxic by any means, no one eats these because of the texture and small stature.