Clavaria zollingeri

[ Basidiomycetes > Agaricales > Clavariaceae > Clavaria . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

You would think that something as distinctive looking as the little purple coral fungus in the illustrations would be a cinch to identify . . . but there are several look-alikes, including Clavaria purpurea, which is less branched and often features a duller, more watery version of purple--and Clavulina amethystina, which can be virtually inseparable without microscopic analysis (it has cylindrical, two-spored basidia and spores 7-12 µ long).

Clavaria zollingeri is not edible.

Description:

Ecology: Saprobic; almost always found in moss under hardwoods; growing alone or in groups; summer and fall; eastern North America.

Fruiting Body: 2-10 cm high; individual elements usually sharing a common base, branching frequently or only occasionally, 2-6 mm wide; surface purple to pinkish purple, fading somewhat; tips rounded or irregular; base whitish.

Flesh: Brittle; purplish; thin.

Taste: Not distinctive or mildly radishlike.

Spore Print: White.

Chemical Reactions: Irons salts negative on all surfaces.

Microscopic Features: Spores 4-7 x 3-5.5 µ; elliptical or nearly round; smooth; with an apiculus; inamyloid. Basidia clavate; 30-60 x 5-9 µ; 4-sterigmate; not basally clamped. Clamp connections absent.

REFERENCES: Léveillé, 1846. (Saccardo, 1888; Corner, 1950; Smith, Smith & Weber, 1981; Weber & Smith, 1985; Phillips, 1991/2005; Metzler & Metzler, 1992; Roody, 2003; McNeil, 2006; Miller & Miller, 2006.) Herb. Kuo 05310403.

Further Online Information:

Clavaria zollingeri at Roger's Mushrooms

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2007, April). Clavaria zollingeri. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/clavaria_zollingeri.html