California Fungi: Clavulina cristata (original) (raw)

Clavulina cristata
Krypt. Fl. Schles. Pilze 442. 1888.

Synonym: Clavulina coralloides (L.) J. Schröt.

• Sporocarp
  Fruiting body coralloid, erect, 3-7 cm tall, 2-4 cm broad, branched 3-4 times, tips with short, tooth-like projections; base 2.0 cm tall, consisting of fused branches; surface smooth to slightly wrinkled, white, becoming cream, sometimes tinged yellowish in age, the branch tips typically ochraceous-brown; flesh white to marbled, unchanging; odor and taste mild.
• Spores
  Spores 7-9 x 6-7.5 µm, round, subglobose to broadly elliptical, smooth, nonamyloid; spore print white.
• Habitat
  Scattered to gregarious in soil and duff in hardwood/conifer woods; especially common under pines; fruiting from mid to late winter.
• Edibility
  Edible, but lacking in texture.
• Comments
  Clavulina cristata is a small, white to cream, shrubby, coral fungus with, flattened, multi-toothed branch tips. Some fruitings develop rounded tips mimicking a close relative, Clavulina rugosa. The latter is distinguished by a sparsely branched fruiting body and larger spores: 9-13.5 x 7.5-10 µm.
• References
  **Breitenbach, J. & Kränzlin, F. (1986). Fungi of Switzerland. Volume 2: Non-Gilled Fungi. Verlag Mykologia: Luzern, Switzerland. 412 p.
  Burt, E.A. (1922). The North American Species of Clavaria with Illustrations of the Type Specimens. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 9(1): 1-78. ([PDF](../../systematics/literature/The North American Species of Clavaria.pdf))
  Coker, W.C. (1923). The Clavarias of the United States and Canada. University of North Carlina Press: Chapel Hill, NC. 209 p. ([PDF](../../systematics/literature/Clavarias of the US & Canada.pdf))
  Coker, W.C. (1974). The Club and Coral Mushrooms (Clavarias) of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications, Inc: New York, NY. 209 p.
  Corner, E.J.H. (1950). A Monograph of Clavaria and Allied Genera. Oxford University Press: London, England. 740 p.
  Desjardin, D.E., Wood, M.G. & Stevens, F.A. (2015). California Mushrooms: The Comprehensive Identification Guide. Timber Press: Portland, OR. 560 p.
  Doty, M.S. (1944). Clavaria, the Species Known form Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Oregon State College: Corvallis, OR. 91 p.
  Ellis, M.B. & Ellis, J.P. (1990). Fungi without Gills (Hymenomycetes and Gasteromycetes). Chapman and Hall: London, England. 329 p.
  Siegel, N. & Schwarz, C. (2016). Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast. Ten Speed Press: Berkeley, CA. 601 p.
• Other Descriptions and Photos
  (D=Description; I=Illustration; P=Photo; CP=Color Photo)