Craterellus cornucopioides Persoon
Myc., Eur. 2:5. 1825.

Common Name: black chanterelle, horn of plenty

• Sporocarp

  Fruiting body 2-7 cm broad, 3-9 cm tall, funnel-shaped, margin undulate, sometimes irregularly torn; surface dry with fine scales, dark grey to blackish when moist, fading to lighter tones when dry; flesh thin, leathery; spore bearing surface smooth to slightly wrinkled, pale grey.

• Spores

  Spores 9-11 x 5-6 µm, elliptical, smooth. Spore print pale buff.

• Habitat

  Scattered, gregarious to clustered in mixed hardwood and coniferous forests from midwinter to spring. Especially common under Arbutus menziesii (madrone), but also Quercus agrifolia (ive oak) and Lithocarpus densiflorus (tanbark oak).

• Edibility

  Edible and choice, worth collecting the many fruiting bodies necessary to make a meal. This very flavorful fungus is wonderful fresh or dried.

• Comments

  Craterellus cornucopioides is easily recognized by its small, dark grey to blackish funnel-shaped fruiting body and tendency to fruit in clusters. Finding it in the field, however, can be a challenge. Its diminutive size and somber color allow it to blend remarkably well into its surroundings. Many mushroom hunters describe searching for black chanterelles as looking for small black holes in the ground.

• References

  Corner, E.J.H. (1966). A Monograph of Cantharelloid Fungi. Oxford University Press: London, England. 255 p.
  Pegler, D.N., Roberts, P.J. & Spooner, B.M. (1997). British Chanterelles and Tooth Fungi. Royal Botanic Gardens: Kew, England. 114 p.
  Smith, A.H. (1949). Mushrooms in their Natural Habitats. Sawyer's Inc: Portland, OR. 626 p.
  Watling, R. & Turnbull, E. (1998). British Fungus Flora: Agarics and Boleti. Vol 8. Cantharellaceae, Gomphaceae, and Amyloid-Spored and Xeruloid Members of Tricholomataceae (excl. Mycena). Royal Botanic Garden: Edinburgh, Scotland. 189 p.
  

• Other Descriptions and Photos
• Michael Boom: Craterellus cornucopioides (CP)
• Michael Boom: Craterellus cornucopioides (CP)
• Tom Duffy: Craterellus cornucopioides (CP)
• Boleslaw Kuznik: Craterellus cornucopioides (CP)
• Boleslaw Kuznik: Craterellus cornucopioides (CP)
• Taylor F. Lockwood: Craterellus cornucopioides (CP)
• Michael Wood: Craterellus cornucopioides (CP)
• Michael Wood: Craterellus cornucopioides (CP) -- a rare pale form
• Boleslaw Kuznik -- Hunting for Mushrooms: Craterellus cornucopioides (CP)
• A Few Good Mushrooms: Craterellus cornucopioides (D & CP)
• Sommario funghi: Craterellus cornucopioides (D & CP)
• Svampbok: Craterellus cornucopioides (D & CP)
• Pilze, Pilze, Pilze: Craterellus cornucopioides (CP)
• Mushroom Observer: Craterellus cornucopioides (CP)
• Arora (1986): p. 666 (D), p. 667 (P), plate 182 (CP)
• Arora (1991): p. 10 (D & CP)
• Jordan: p. 82 (D & CP)
• Thiers (1985 #1): p. 13 (D)



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