View A43-1112-1979-eng.pdf

EDIBLE AND POISONOUS MUSHROOMS OF CANADA
This species is too tough to be of value as food but the massive fructifica-
tions of overlapping pilei are Hkely to attract attention. It will appear in suc-
cessive years on the same tree. In modern classifications this fungus is placed
in the genus Steccherinum.
CLAVARIACEAE
The Clavariaceae, sometimes called coral fungi, include forms with erect,
simple or branched, fleshy or tough fructifications, the fruiting surface smooth,
not diff^erentiated into spines, pores, or lamellae. The important character in
distinguishing this family from the Thelephoraceae is that there is no differen-
tiation of the fruiting body into an upper sterile surface and a lower fertile
surface. The entire surface of the fruiting body is fertile in the Clavariaceae.
The species are difficult to identify and only a few are described here.
Most of the clavarias are edible but some are bitter and unpleasant to the
taste or are very tough, and in Europe one species has been reported to be
poisonous. This is Clavaria formosa Pers., which is also widely distributed in
North America. It is a medium to large, much-branched form, white at the
base, flesh color or pinkish above, but with the tips of the branches yellow. In
age it fades to tan or ochraceous tan. This species should be avoided.
Key
1. Fruiting body simple, unbranched 2
1. Fruiting body much branched 3
2. Growing in clusters, bright yellow C. fusiformis
2. Growing singly or gregarious, ochraceous yellow
to brownish, club-shaped C. pistillaris
3. Tips of branches pink or rosy C. botrytis
3. Tips of branches not pink 4
4. Taste bitter, fruiting body light tan to tawny C. striata
4. Taste mild 5
5. Fraiting body smoky gray C. cinerea
5. Fruiting body pale yellowish C. flava
CLAVARIA BOTRYTIS Fr. Edible
Figure 361, page 253
FRUCTIFICATION 2-4 in. high, much branched, stipitate, the stipe white,
%-l in. thick, slightly tapering downward, bulbous at base, the branches
whitish to cream with pink to rosy tips, or sometimes lavender in age, erect,
parallel or curving and with a somewhat cauliflower-hke appearance, taste and
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