CLAVARIACEAE--CORAL FUNGI.
Hymenium not distinct from the hymenophore, covering entire outer
surface, somewhat fleshy, not coriaceous; vertical, simple or branched.
_Fries._
Most of the species grow on the ground or on well rotted logs. The
following genera are included here:
Sparassis--Fleshy, much branched, branches compressed, plate-like.
Clavaria--Fleshy, simple or branched, typically round.
Calocera--Gelatinous, then horn-like.
Typhula--Simple or club-shaped, rigid when dry, usually small.
_Sparassis. Fr._
Sparassis, to tear in pieces. The species are fleshy, branched with
plate-like branches, composed of two plates, fertile on both sides.
_Sparassis Herbstii. Pk._
[Illustration: Figure 384.--Sparassis Herbstii.]
This is a plant very much branched, forming tufts four to five inches
high, and five to six inches broad; whitish, inclining to creamy-yellow;
tough, moist; the branches numerous, thin, flattened, concrescent,
dilated above, spathulate or fan-shaped, often somewhat longitudinally
curved or wavy; mostly uniformly colored, rarely with a few indistinct,
nearly concolorous, transverse zones near the broad, entire apices.
The spores are globose, or broadly elliptical, .0002 to .00025 inch
long, .00016 to .0002 broad.
This species was first found by the late Dr. William Herbst of
Trexlertown, Pa., and was named by Dr. Peck in his honor. The specimen
in Figure 384 was found at Trexlertown, Pa., and photographed by Mr. C.
G. Lloyd. The plant delights in open oak woods, and is found through
August and September. It is edible and quite good.
_Sparassis crispa. Fr._
_Crispus_, curly. This is a beautiful rosette-like plant, growing quite
large at times, very much branched, whitish, oyster-colored, or pale
yellow; branches intricate, flat and leaf-like, having a spore surface
on both sides. The entire plant forms a large round mass with its
leaf-like surface variously curled, folded, and lobed, with a crest-like
margin, and springing from a well-marked root, most of which is buried
in the ground.
No one will have any trouble to recognize it, having once seen its
photograph. I found the plant quite frequently, in the woods about
Bowling Green. It is not simply good, but very good.
_Clavaria. Linn._
Clavaria is from _clavus_, a club. This is by far the largest genus in
this family, and contains very many edible species, some of which are
excellent.
The entire genus is fleshy, either branched or simple; gradually
thickening toward the top, resembling a club.
In collecting clavaria special attention should be given to the
character of the apices of the branches, color of the branches, color of
spores, the taste of the plant, and the character of the place of its
growth. This genus is readily recognized, and no one need to hesitate to
eat any of the branching forms.
_Clavaria flava. Schaeff._
PALE-YELLOW CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 385.--Clavaria flava. Natural size.]
Flava is from _flavus_, yellow. The plant is rather fragile, white and
yellow, two to five inches high, the mass of branches from two to five
inches wide, the trunk thick, much branched. The branches are round,
even, smooth, crowded, nearly parallel, pointing upward, whitish or
yellowish, with pale yellow tips of tooth-like points. When the plant is
old, the yellow tips are likely to be faded, and the whole plant whitish
in color. The flesh and the spores are white, and the taste is
agreeable.
I have eaten this species since 1890, and I regard it as very good. It
is found in woods and grassy open places. I have found it as early as
June and as late as October.
_Clavaria aurea. Pers._
THE GOLDEN CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
This plant grows from three to four inches high. Its trunk is thick,
elastic, and its branches are uniformly a deep golden yellow, often
longitudinally wrinkled. The branches straight, regularly forked and
round.
The stem is stout but thinner than in C. flava. The spores are yellowish
and elliptical. It is found in woods during August and September.
_Clavaria botrytes. Pers._
THE RED-TIPPED CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 386.--Clavaria botrytes. One-half natural size.]
Botrytes is from a Greek word meaning a cluster of grapes. This plant
differs little from C. flava in size and structure, but it is easily
recognized from the red tips of its branches. It is whitish, or
yellowish, or pinkish, with its branches red-tipped.
The stem is short, thick, fleshy, whitish, unequal. The branches are
often somewhat wrinkled, crowded, repeatedly branched. In older
specimens the red tips will be somewhat faded. The spores are white and
oblong-elliptical. It is found in woods and open places, during wet
weather. I found this plant occasionally near Salem, from July to
October, but it is not a common plant in Ohio.
_Clavaria muscoides. Linn._
FORKED YELLOW CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
Muscoides means moss-like. This plant is inclined to be tough, though
graceful in growth; slender-stemmed, two or three time forked; smooth;
base downy, bright yellow. The branchlets are thin, crescent-shape,
acute. The spores are white and nearly round. The plant is usually
solitary, not branching as much as some other species; quite dry, very
smooth, except at the base, which is downy, in color resembling the yolk
of an egg. It is frequently found in damp pastures, especially those
skirting a wood.
_Clavaria amethystina. Bull._
THE AMETHYSTINE CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 387.--Clavaria amethystina.]
Amethystina means amethyst in color. This is a remarkably attractive
plant and easily recognized by its color. It is sometimes quite small
yet often grows from three to five inches high. The color of the entire
plant is violet; it is very much branched or almost simple; branches
round, even, fragile, smooth, obtuse. The spores are elliptical,
pale-ochraceous, sub-transparent, 10-12x6-7u.
This plant is quite common around Chillicothe, and it has a wide
distribution over the United States. The specimens in Figure 387 were
found in Poke Hollow.
_Clavaria stricta. Pers._
THE STRAIGHT CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._
Figure 388.--Clavaria stricta.]
Stricta is a participle from _stringo_, to draw together. The plant is
very much branched, pale, dull-yellow, becoming brownish when bruised;
the stem somewhat thickened; branches very numerous and forked,
straight, even, densely pressed, tips pointed. The spores are dark
cinnamon. It is found on the Huntington hills near Chillicothe. Look for
it in August and September.
_Clavaria pyxidata. Pers._
THE CUP CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 389.--Clavaria pyxidata. Natural size.]
Pyxidata is from _pyxis_, a small box. This plant is quite fragile,
waxy, light-tan in color, with a thin main stem, whitish, smooth,
variable in length, branching and rebranching, the branches ending in a
cup. The spores are white.
It is found on rotten wood and is readily recognized by the cup-like
tips. The specimen in Figure 389 was found near Columbus and
photographed by Dr. Kellerman. Found from June to October.
_Clavaria abietina. Schum._
THE FIR-WOOD CLAVARIA.
[Illustration: Figure 390.--Clavaria abietina.]
Abietina means fir-wood.
This plant grows in dense tufts, very much branched, ochraceous, trunk
somewhat thickened, short, clothed with a white down; branches straight,
crowded, longitudinally wrinkled when dry, branchlets straight.
The spores are oval and ochraceous.
It can be readily identified by its changing to green when bruised.
It is very common on our wooded hillsides. It is found from August to
October.
_Clavaria spinulosa. Pers._
[Illustration: Figure 391.--Clavaria spinulosa.]
Spinulosa means spiny or full of spines.
The trunk of this plant is rather short and thick, at least one-half to
one inch thick, whitish. The branches are elongated, crowded, tense and
straight; attenuated, tapering upward; color somewhat cinnamon-brown
throughout.
The spores are elliptical, yellowish-brown, 11-13x5u.
It is usually given as found under pine trees, but I find it about
Chillicothe in mixed woods, in which there are no pine trees at all. It
is found after frequent rains, from August to October. As an edible, it
is fairly good.
_Clavaria formosa. Pers._
BEAUTIFUL CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 392.--Clavaria formosa. Three-fourths its natural
size.]
Formosa is from _formosus_, meaning finely formed.
This plant is two to six inches high, trunk rather thick, often over an
inch in thickness; whitish, or yellowish, elastic, the branches
numerous, crowded, elongated, divided at the ends into yellow
branchlets, which are thin, straight, obtuse or toothed.
The spores are elongated-oval, rough, buff-colored, 16x8u.
This is an extremely beautiful plant, very tender or brittle. When the
plant is quite young, just coming through the ground, the tips of the
branches are often of a bright red or pink. This bright color soon
fades, leaving the entire plant a light yellow in color.
The plant has a wide distribution, and is found on the ground in the
woods, frequently growing in rows. While the handsomest of the
Clavarias, it is not the best, and only the tender parts of the plant
should be used. It is found from July to October. The specimen in Figure
392 was found in Poke Hollow.
_Clavaria cristata. Pers._
THE CRESTED CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._
Figure 393.--Clavaria cristata.]
Cristata is from _cristatus_, crested. This is a smaller plant than the
C. flava or C. botrytes. It is usually two to three inches high, white
or whitish, the tufts of broad flattened branches, sometimes tinged with
a dull pink or creamy-yellow. The branches are numerous, widened and
flattened above, deeply cut into several finger-like points, sometimes
so numerous as to give it a crested appearance. This peculiar
characteristic distinguishes it from C. coralloides. When the plant is
old the tips usually turn brown.
Sometimes a form will be found in which the crested appearance is
wanting, and in that case the branches terminate in blunt points. The
stem is short and inclined to be spongy.
It is found in the woods, in cool, moist, shady places. While it is
tougher than some of the other species, if cut fine and well cooked it
is very good. I have eaten it for years. It is found from June to
October.
_Clavaria coronata. Schw._
THE CROWNED CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._
Figure 394.--Clavaria coronata.]
Pale yellow, then fawn color; divided immediately from the base and very
much branched; the branches divergent and compressed or angulate, the
final branchlets truncate-obtuse at apex and there encircled with a
crown of minute processes. _Morgan_.
This plant is found on decayed wood. It is repeatedly branched in twos
and forms clusters sometimes several inches in height. It resembles in
form C. pyxidata, but it is quite a distinct species. In some localities
it is found quite frequently. It is plentiful about Chillicothe. Found
from July to October.
_Clavaria vermicularis. Scop._
WHITE-TUFTED CLAVARIA.
[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._
Figure 395.--Clavaria vermicularis.]
Small, two to three inches high; caespitose, fragile, white, club-shaped;
clubs stuffed, simple, cylindrical, subulate.
Found on lawns, short pastures or in paths in woods. Someone has said
they "look like a little bundle of candles." Edible, but too small to
gather. June and July.
_Clavaria crispula. Fr._
FLEXUOUS CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
Very much branched, tan-colored, then ochraceous; trunk slender,
villous, rooting; branches flexuous, having many divisions, branches of
the same color, divaricating, fragile.
The spores are creamy-yellow, slightly elliptical. This plant is
slightly acrid to the taste and retains a faint trace of acridity even
after it is cooked. It is very plentiful in our woods. Found from July
to October.
_Clavaria Kunzei. Fr._
KUNZE'S CLAVARIA.
Rather fragile, very much branched from the slender caespitose base;
white; branches elongated, crowded, repeatedly forked, subfastigiate,
even, equal; axils compressed. Specimens were found on Cemetery Hill
under beech trees, and identified by Dr. Herbst. The spores are
yellowish.
_Clavaria cinerea. Bull._
ASH-COLORED CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
Cinerea, pertaining to ashes. This is a small plant, growing in groups,
frequently in rows, under beech trees. The color is gray or ashy; it is
quite fragile; stem thick, short, very much branched, with the branches
thickened, somewhat wrinkled, rather obtuse. Its gray color will
distinguish it from the other Clavaria.
_Clavaria pistillaris. L._
INDIAN-CLUB CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 396.--Clavaria pistillaris. One-half natural
size.]
Pistillaris is from _pistillum_, a pestle.
They are simple, large, stuffed, fleshy, everywhere smooth, three to ten
inches high, attaining to one inch in thickness; light yellow,
ochraceous, brownish, chocolate, club-shaped, ovate-rounded, puckered at
the top; flesh white, spongy. The spores are white, 10x5u.
They are found in the leaf-mold of mixed woods, and you will sometimes
find several growing together. They are found from July to frost.
The dark variety, which is frequently vertically wrinkled, is slightly
acrid when raw, but this disappears upon cooking. The plant is widely
distributed but abundant nowhere in our state. I found it occasionally
in the woods near Chillicothe. The plants in Figure 396 were found near
Columbus, and were photographed by Dr. Kellerman of Ohio State
University.
_Clavaria fusiformis. Sow._
SPINDLE-SHAPED CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
[Illustration: Figure 397.--Clavaria fusiformis. Natural size.]
Fusiformis is from _fusus_, a spindle, and _forma_, a form.
The plant is yellow, smooth, rather firm, soon hollow, caespitose; nearly
erect, rather brittle, attenuated at each end; clubs somewhat
spindle-shaped, simple, toothed, the apex somewhat darker; even,
slightly firm, usually with several united at the base.
The spores are pale yellow, globose, 4-5u.
They are found in woods and pastures. The plants in the figure were in
the woods beside an untraveled road, on Ralston's Run.
They strongly resemble C. inaequalis. When found in sufficient quantities
they are very tender and have an excellent flavor.
_Clavaria inaequalis. Mull._
THE UNEQUAL CLAVARIA. EDIBLE.
Inaequalis means unequal.
Somewhat tufted, quite fragile, from one to three inches high, often
compressed, angular, often forked, ventricose; yellow, occasionally
whitish, sometimes variously cut at the tip. The spores are colorless,
elliptical, 9-10x5u.
One can readily distinguish it from C. fusiformis by the tips, these not
being sharp pointed. It is found in clusters in woods and pastures from
August to October. As delicious as C. fusiformis.
_Clavaria mucida. Pers._
[Illustration: Figure 398.--Clavaria mucida.]
Mucida means slimy, so named from the soft and watery condition of the
plants.
The plants are quite small, usually simple yet sometimes branched,
club-shaped, one-eighth to an inch high, white, sometimes yellowish,
frequently pinkish or rose-tinted.
These plants are very small and easily overlooked. It is found on
decayed wood. I have found it late in the fall and early in the spring.
You can look for it at any time of the year after warm rains or in damp
places, on well decayed wood. The specimens in Figure 398 were
photographed by Prof. G. D. Smith, Akron, Ohio.
_Calocera. Fr._
This plant is gelatinous, somewhat cartilaginous when moist, horny when
dry, vertical, simple or branched, caespitose or solitary.
The hymenium is universal; the basidia round and two-lobed, each lobe
bearing a single one-spored sterigma. The spores are inclined to be
oblong and curved.
This genus resembles Clavaria, but is identified by being somewhat
gelatinous and viscid when moist and rather horn-like when dry, but
especially by its two-lobed basidia.
_Calocera cornea. Fr._
[Illustration: _Photo by C. G. Lloyd._
Figure 399.--Calocera cornea.]
This is unbranched, caespitose, rooting, even, viscid, orange-yellow or
pale yellow; clubs short, subulate, connate at the base. The spores are
round and oblong, 7-8x5u.
Found upon stumps and logs, especially upon oak where the timber is
cracked, the plants springing from the cracks. When dry they are quite
stiff and rigid.
_Calocera stricta. Fr._
These plants are unbranched, solitary, about one inch high, elongated,
base somewhat blunt, even when dry, yellow.
Its habitat is very similar to C. cornea but more scattered. C. striata,
Fr., is very similar to C. cornea, but is distinguished by its being
solitary, and striate or rugose when dry.
_Typhula. Fr._
Epiphytal. Stem filiform, flaccid; clubs cylindrical, perfectly distinct
from hymenium, sometimes springing from a sclerotium; hymenium thin and
waxy.
This is distinguished from Clavaria and Pistillaria by having its stem
distinct from the hymenium. It is a small plant resembling, in
miniature, Typha, hence its generic name.
_Typhula erythropus. Fr._
Simple; club cylindrical, slender, smooth, white; stem nearly straight,
dark red, inclining to be black, springing usually from a blackish and
somewhat wrinkled sclerotium. The spores are oblong, 5-6x2-2.5u.
This plant has a wide distribution, and is found in damp places upon the
stems of herbaceous plants.
_Typhula incarnata. Fr._
Simple; club cylindrical, elongated, smooth; whitish, more or less
tinged with pink above; one to two-inches high, base minutely strigose,
springing from a compressed brownish sclerotium. The spores are nearly
round, 5x4u.
This is a common and beautiful little plant and easily distinguished
both by its color and the size and form of its spores. If the collector
will watch the dead herbaceous stems in damp places, he will not only
find the two just described, but another, differing in color, size, and
form of spores, called T. phacorrhiza, Fr. It has a brownish color and
its spores are quite oblong, 8-9x4-5u.
_Lachnocladium. Lev._
Lachnocladium is from two Greek words meaning a fleece and a branch.
Pileus coriaceous, tough, repeatedly branched; the branches slender or
filiform, tomentose. Hymenium amphigenous. Fungi slender and much
branched, terrestrial, but sometimes growing on wood.
_Lachnocladium semivestitum. B. & C._
[Illustration: Figure 400.--Lachnocladium semivestitum.]
Pileus, much branched from a slender stem of variable length, expanded
at the angles; the branches filiform, straight, somewhat fasciculate,
smooth at the tips and paler in color.
This is quite a common specimen on our north hillsides. It is white and
quite fragile. Found in damp places in August and September.
_Lachnocladium Micheneri. B. & C._
[Illustration: Figure 401.--Lachnocladium Micheneri.]
Coriaceous, tough, pale or whitish; stem well marked, branching from a
point, branches numerous, tips pointed; white tomentum at the base of
the stem.
This plant is very abundant here and is found very generally over the
United States. It grows on fallen leaves in woods, after a rain, being
found from July to October.