Clavaria vermicularis Fries
Syst. Myc. 1: 484. 1821.

Common Name: Fairy Fingers

• Sporocarp

  Fruiting body 3-9 cm tall, 2-4 mm thick, simple, branches rounded to flattened in cross-section, often curved, tapering to a blunt or pointed tip; surface smooth, white, becoming yellowish in age especially at the tips; flesh white, fragile.

• Spores

  Spores 4.5-7 x 2.5-4.0 µm, elliptical, smooth; spore print white.

• Habitat

  Solitary, clustered, or in groups on soil or duff in mixed hardwood-conifer woods; fruiting from late fall to mid-winter.

• Edibility

  Edible, but unsubstantial.

• Comments

  The white spaghetti-like strands of Clavaria vermicularis, make it among the easiest of coral fungi to recognize. Collecting it, however, can be a challenge due to its brittle nature. Related small, generally unbranched coral fungi include Clavaria fumosa, grey in color, and like C. vermicularis, may fruit in clusters; Clavaria purpurea, is a beautiful, purplish to lilac-brown, clustered species, uncommon in our area; Clavulinopsis laeticolor is yellowish-orange, has a mild taste, and is one of our most commonly encountered fairy-clubs; Clavulinopsis fusiformis is similar to Clavulinopsis laeticolor, but usually is yellower, has a bitter taste, and clustered fruitings are typically fused at the base.

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  • Michael Boom: Clavaria vermicularis (CP)
  • Tom Duffy: Clavaria vermicularis (CP)
  • Fred Stevens: Clavaria vermicularis (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Clavaria vermicularis (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Clavaria vermicularis (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Clavaria vermicularis (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Clavaria vermicularis (CP)
  • K. Maruyama: Clavaria vermicularis (CP)
  • Fungus plates painted under the supervision of Elias Fries: Clavaria vermicularis (CP) [as Clavaria fragilis]
  • Jens H. Peterson: Clavaria vermicularis (CP)
  • Mushroom Observer: Clavaria vermicularis (CP)
  • Arora (1986): p. 637 (D & P)
  • Breitenbach & Kränzlin (vol. 2): sp. 444 (D, I, & CP)
  • Jordan: p. 83 (D & CP)
  • Lincoff: p. 400 (D), plate 739 (CP)
  • Miller: plate 266a (CP)
  • Phillips: p. 291 (D & CP)
  
  

  (D=Description; I=Illustration; P=Photo; CP=Color Photo)