diff --git a/src/crypto/x509/example_test.go b/src/crypto/x509/example_test.go
index 29e7c213975..97c2ea2442e 100644
--- a/src/crypto/x509/example_test.go
+++ b/src/crypto/x509/example_test.go
@@ -5,8 +5,12 @@
 package x509_test
 
 import (
+	"crypto/dsa"
+	"crypto/ecdsa"
+	"crypto/rsa"
 	"crypto/x509"
 	"encoding/pem"
+	"fmt"
 )
 
 func ExampleCertificate_Verify() {
@@ -89,3 +93,42 @@ yE+vPxsiUkvQHdO2fojCkY8jg70jxM+gu59tPDNbw3Uh/2Ij310FgTHsnGQMyA==
 		panic("failed to verify certificate: " + err.Error())
 	}
 }
+
+func ExampleParsePKIXPublicKey() {
+	const pubPEM = `
+-----BEGIN PUBLIC KEY-----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+-----END PUBLIC KEY-----`
+
+	block, _ := pem.Decode([]byte(pubPEM))
+	if block == nil {
+		panic("failed to parse PEM block containing the public key")
+	}
+
+	pub, err := x509.ParsePKIXPublicKey(block.Bytes)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic("failed to parse DER encoded public key: " + err.Error())
+	}
+
+	switch pub := pub.(type) {
+	case *rsa.PublicKey:
+		fmt.Println("pub is of type RSA:", pub)
+	case *dsa.PublicKey:
+		fmt.Println("pub is of type DSA:", pub)
+	case *ecdsa.PublicKey:
+		fmt.Println("pub is of type ECDSA:", pub)
+	default:
+		panic("unknown type of public key")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/crypto/x509/x509.go b/src/crypto/x509/x509.go
index d9288bb30e8..dc793cadead 100644
--- a/src/crypto/x509/x509.go
+++ b/src/crypto/x509/x509.go
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ type pkixPublicKey struct {
 
 // ParsePKIXPublicKey parses a DER encoded public key. These values are
 // typically found in PEM blocks with "BEGIN PUBLIC KEY".
+//
+// Supported key types include RSA, DSA, and ECDSA. Unknown key
+// types result in an error.
+//
+// On success, pub will be of type *rsa.PublicKey, *dsa.PublicKey,
+// or *ecdsa.PublicKey.
 func ParsePKIXPublicKey(derBytes []byte) (pub interface{}, err error) {
 	var pki publicKeyInfo
 	if rest, err := asn1.Unmarshal(derBytes, &pki); err != nil {