Clavariadelphus truncatus (Quel.) Donk
Rev. Niederl. Homo. Aphyll. 2: 73. 1933.

Common Name: Club Coral

• Sporocarp

  Fruiting body club-shaped, simple, 4-13 cm tall, 3-6 cm wide, tapering to a narrowed base, lacking a distinct stipe and cap; apex typically flattened or depressed at the center, the margin often raised and irregularly bumpy; surface elsewhere more or less smooth to longitudinally wrinkled or grooved; color pinkish-brown to orange-brown below, shading to yellowish-orange at the apex, whitish and hairy at the base; flesh white to yellowish, firm when young, soft at maturity, darkening when injured; odor mild, taste mild to sweet.

• Spores

  Spores 9-12 x 6-8 µm, elliptical, smooth; spore print pale yellowish-buff.

• Habitat

  Scattered to gregarious on duff in conifer woods; fruiting from late fall to mid-winter.

• Edibility

  Good edible with a sweet taste.

• Comments

  Clavariadelphus truncatus is distinguished by a club-shaped fruiting body, with a flattened or squared apex. It's shape is somewhat suggestive of the yellow chanterelle to which it is distantly related, but it lacks the characteristic ridges and cross-veined hymenium.

• References

  Castellano, M.A., Cázares, E., Fondrick, B. & Dreisbach, T. (2003). Handbook to additional fungal species of special concern in the Northwest Forest Plan (Gen. Tech Rep. PNW-GTR-572). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: Portland, OR. 144 p.
  Corner, E.J.H. (1950). A Monograph of Clavaria and Allied Genera. Oxford University Press: London, England. 740  p.
  Corner, E.J.H. (1970). Supplement to "A Monograph of Clavaria and Allied Genera". Beih. Nova Hedw. 53: 1-299.
  Methven, A.S. (1990). The Genus Clavariadelphus in North America. J. Cramer: Berlin, Germany. 192 p.
  Wells, V.L. & Kempton, P.E. (1968). A preliminary study of Clavariadelphus in North America. Mich. Bot. 7: 35-57.
  

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  • Terry Goyan: Clavariadelphus truncatus (CP)
  • Boleslaw Kuznik: Clavariadelphus truncatus (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Clavariadelphus truncatus (CP)
  • Handbook to Additional Fungal Species of Special Concern in the Northwest Forest Plan: Clavariadelphus truncatus (D & CP)
  • George Barron's Fungi of Canada (East): Clavariadelphus truncatus (D & CP)
  • Arora (1986): p. 634 (D), plate 166 (CP)
  • Arora (1991): p. 212 (D & CP)
  • Breitenbach & Kränzlin (vol. 2): sp. 454 (D, I, & CP)
  • Lincoff: p. 404 (D), plate 439 (CP)
  • McKenny et al.: p. 174 (D), p. 175 (CP)
  • Methven: p. 66 (D), plate 3 (P), figs. 7, 35 (I)
  • Miller: sp. 267 (D & CP)
  • Orr & Orr: p. 61 (D)
  • Phillips: p. 291 (D & CP)
  • Smith & Weber: sp. 50 (D & CP)
  
  

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