Coral Fungi: information below is from Botany 359; however,
most of information can be used in Botany 360
Clavariaceae: hymenophore amphigenous (i.e. located on
all surfaces of the basidiocarp) and basidiocarp negatively geotropic
(i.e., growing away from the ground); monomitic; spores smooth
or echinulate
Clavulina
cristata- macroscopically, usually identified by the
multibranched tips; microscopically the basidium has extremely
long sterigma which typically number only 2 for each basidium.
Macroscopic features that work most of the time: Ramaria:
blunt-tips, fruiting body stains with ferric sulphate; Clavaria
unbranched on the west coast (C. zollingeri is on the east
coast), branches slender and fragile; Clavariadelphus
unbranched and branches fleshy and thick or trumpet-shape; Ramariopsis
kunzei milk-white fruiting boides and branches very fragile;
Multiclavula club-shaped, fruiting bodies on cut
road banks and only about 1-2 " tall; associated with an
alga; Typhula unbranched, branches very thin and
almost thread-like; growing in humus beneath hardwoods.
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