Clavulina cristata

The commonly used species name cristata was coined in 1790 by Danish mycologist Theodor Holmskjold (as Ramaria cristata). However, Carl Linnaeus described apparently the same fungus as Clavaria coralloides in his Species Plantarum in 1753.See bottom of p. 1182 of Carolus Linnaeus "Species Plantarum, exhibentes ..." (1753), available on-line at [http://www.botanicus.org/page/359203 the Missouri Botanical Garden's digital library]. Therefore, according to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, the name Clavulina coralloides should be used in preference to Clavulina cristata,See [http://www.indexfungorum.org/Names/SynSpecies.asp?RecordID=114573 the Index Fungorum entry] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016210456/http://www.indexfungorum.org/Names/SynSpecies.asp?RecordID=114573 |date=2007-10-16 }}.See Kuo, M. (2007, April) the MushroomExpert.Com Web site entry: [http://www.mushroomexpert.com/clavulina_cristata.html]. although the latter name is in more common use.

The fruit bodies, which are generally white- to cream-colored, can be up to {{convert|8|cm|in|frac=8}} tall, and {{convert|2.5|–|4|cm|in|1|abbr=on|frac=8}} broad.{{Cite book |last=Audubon |title=Mushrooms of North America |publisher=Knopf |year=2023 |isbn=978-0-593-31998-7 |pages=93}} The coral "arms" are sparingly branched (3–4 times), 2–4 mm wide,{{cite book |author1=Miller, Hope Ridings |author2=Miller, Orson K. |title=North American mushrooms: a field guide to edible and inedible fungi |publisher=Falcon Guide |location=Guilford, Conn |year=2006 |page=345 |isbn=978-0-7627-3109-1 }} smooth, and sometimes wrinkled longitudinally. The tips are cristate, having small pointed projections, and will often darken with age or in dry weather.{{cite book |last=Arora |first=David |author-link=David Arora |title=Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi |url=https://archive.org/details/arora-david-mushrooms-demystified-a-comprehensive-guide-to-the-fleshy-fungi-ten-speed-press-1986/page/641/mode/2up |publisher=Ten Speed Press |isbn=978-0-89815-170-1 |location=Berkeley, CA |year=1986 |orig-date=1979 |edition=2nd |pages=641-42}} The stems vary in form and can be {{Convert|5-40|mm|abbr=on|frac=4}} long and 5–20 mm wide. The fruit bodies have no distinctive odor, and a mild taste.

The fruit bodies may have a darker color either due to natural variation (whereby the appearance of this species may approach and be confused with C. cinerea) or because of infection by a microscopic fungus, Helminthosphaeria clavariarum.

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The spores are white, roughly spherical, thick-walled, non-amyloid, smooth, and have dimensions of 7–11 by 6–10 μm.{{cite book |author1=Orr, Dorothy B. |author2=Orr, Robert Thomas |title=Mushrooms of Western North America (California Natural History Guides) |publisher=University of California Press |location=Berkeley |year=1980 |page=65 |isbn=978-0-520-03660-4 }} Basidia are club-shaped, 60–80 by 6–8 μm, and 2-spored.{{cite book |author1=Ellis, J. B. |author2=Ellis, Martin B. |title=Fungi without gills (hymenomycetes and gasteromycetes): an identification handbook |publisher=Chapman and Hall |location=London |year=1990 |page=66 |isbn=978-0-412-36970-4 }} Cystidia are absent. Sterigmata, the slender projections of the basidium that bear the spores, may be straight or curved, and up to 7–8 μm long.{{cite book |author=Linda Fung-yee Ng |title=The Macrofungus Flora of China's Guangdong Province (Chinese University Press) |publisher=Columbia University Press |location=New York |year=1993 |page=93 |isbn=978-962-201-556-2 }} [https://books.google.com/books?id=0cAered-vqYC&pg=PA93&dq=clavulina+cristata Google Books] Microscopic and molecular analysis indicate that the species is related to chanterelles.{{cite book|last1=Trudell|first1=Steve|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WevHvt6Tr8kC|title=Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest|last2=Ammirati|first2=Joe|publisher=Timber Press|year=2009|isbn=978-0-88192-935-5|series=Timber Press Field Guides|location=Portland, OR|pages=251|language=en}}

In addition to the major fatty acid components, palmitic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid, C. cristata contains two unusual fatty acids, cis-9, cis-14-octadecadien-12-ynoic acid, and the conjugated cis-9, trans-11, trans-13, cis-15-octadecatetraenoic acid (commonly known as α-parinaric acid).Endo S, Zhiping G, Takagi T. (1991). Lipid components of seven species of Basidiomycotina and three species of Ascomycotina. Journal of the Japan Oil Chemists' Society 40(7): 574–77. C. cristata is the only fungi known to contain α-parinaric acid.Endo S. (1997). Vegetables are a treasurehouse of effective lipid sources. Nihon yukagaku kaishi 46(10): 1247–256. [http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=2090881 Abstract]

Some other coral fungi have macroscopic and microscopic features similar to C. cristata, making identification confusing. Clavulina rugosa is unbranched or sparingly branched. Clavulina cinerea is usually darker in color. Ramaria stricta has parallel branches and grows on wood. Lentaria byssiseda is light brown with white tips. Ramariopsis kunzei is often bright white and smooth, and Sebacina schweinitzii is very tough.

Clavulina cristata is found growing solitary or in clusters on the ground (sometimes on rotten wood) in both coniferous and hardwood forests in temperate areas of the Americas (October–March on the west coast of North America and July–October further inland) and Europe (June–November).{{Cite book |last=Francis-Baker |first=Tiffany |title=Concise Foraging Guide |date=2021 |publisher=Bloomsbury |isbn=978-1-4729-8474-6 |series=The Wildlife Trusts |location=London |pages=118}} It is a common mushroom, and typically fruits from late summer to winter.

This fungus is edible,{{cite book |author1=Foy, Nicky |author2=Phillips, Roger |author3=Kibby, Geoffrey |title=Mushrooms of North America |publisher=Little, Brown |location=Boston |year=1991 |page=292 |isbn=978-0-316-70613-1 }}{{cite book |author=Ian Burrows |title=Food from the Wild |publisher=New Holland Publishers Ltd |year=2005 |page=98 |isbn=978-1-84330-891-1 }} [https://books.google.com/books?id=j470CrsOuPQC&pg=PA98&dq=clavulina+cristata&lr= Google Books] but the tough flesh and insubstantial fruit bodies make it unappetizing to some individuals. It is considered excellent by some.{{cite book |author1=Margaret McKenny |author2=Daniel E Stuntz |author2-link=Daniel Elliot Stuntz |title=The New Savory Wild Mushroom |publisher=University of Washington Press |year=1987 |page=176 |isbn=978-0-295-96480-5 |author1-link=Margaret McKenny }}{{Cite book|title=Edible mushrooms: a forager's guide to the wild fungi of Britain, Ireland and Europe|last=Geoff|first=Dann|isbn=9780857843975|location=Cambridge, England|oclc=971245992|date = 2016-09-29}}

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Commons category|Clavulina coralloides}}

• [http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Clavulina_cristata.html California Fungi]
• [http://www.mushroomexpert.com/clavulina_cristata.html Mushroom Expert]

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Category:Fungi of Europe

Category:Fungi of North America

Category:Edible fungi

cristata

Category:Fungus species