Clavulina amethystinoides

[ Basidiomycetes > Cantharellales > Clavulinaceae > Clavulina . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

Rarely if ever featured in field guides, Clavulina amethystinoides is an odd little fungus--a drab, purplish, Clavaria zollingeri wannabe. Its microscopic features (two-spored basidia, nearly round spores, and clamp connections) place it in the genus Clavulina, where it looks somewhat like a soiled Clavulina rugosa, and even occasionally develops branch tips approximating the "cristate" branch tips found in Clavulina cristata.

Clavulina amethystina is a similar but more purple European species. "Clavaria amethystina" is an outdated synonym for Clavulina amethystina that is sometimes misapplied in field guides; see the comments on the page for Clavaria zollingeri.

Description:

Ecology: Presumably mycorrhizal; found under conifers and hardwoods; growing alone, scattered, or gregariously--but not in clusters; often in moss or in moist areas; summer and fall; southeastern United States to Massachusetts and Illinois.

Fruiting Body: 2-6 cm high; usually moderately and irregularly branched, antlered, or lobed--but sometimes branched sparingly or not at all; when branched up to 4 cm wide.

Branches: Fairly smooth, or finely rugged (but bald); fleshy tan to drab lilac or drab purple; tips colored like the sides, bluntly to sharply pointed or occasionally vaguely "cristate" with sharp points.

Base: Up to about 3 cm long; velvety at the base; colored and textured like the branches.

Flesh: Colored like the surfaces; brittle in the branches and tougher in the stem.

Odor and Taste: Not distinctive.

Spore Print: White.

Chemical Reactions: Irons salts negative on branches.

Microscopic Features: Spores 7.5-8.5 x 6-7.5 µ; subglobose or broadly ellipsoid; smooth; with an apiculus. Basidia clavate; 2-sterigmate with long, incurved sterigmata. Clamp connections present.

REFERENCES: (Peck, 1907) Corner, 1950. (Saccardo, 1912; Coker, 1923; Corner, 1950.) Herb. Kuo 07050801.

This site contains no information about the edibility or toxicity of mushrooms.

Spores

Basidium

Clamp connections

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2012, February). Clavulina amethystinoides. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/clavulina_amethystinoides.html