The Mushroom, Edible and Otherwise / Its Habitat and its Time of Growth

by Miron Elisha Hard

Clavaria muscoides. Linn.

Forked Yellow Clavaria. Edible.

Muscoides means moss-like. This plant is inclined to be tough, though graceful in growth; slender-stemmed, two or three time forked; smooth; base downy, bright yellow. The branchlets are thin, crescent-shape, acute. The spores are white and nearly round. The plant is usually solitary, not branching as much as some other species; quite dry, very smooth, except at the base, which is downy, in color resembling the yolk of an egg. It is frequently found in damp pastures, especially those skirting a wood.

Clavaria amethystina. Bull.

The Amethystine Clavaria. Edible.

Figure 387.—Clavaria amethystina.

Amethystina means amethyst in color. This is a remarkably attractive plant and easily recognized by its color. It is sometimes quite small yet often grows from three to five inches high. The color of the entire plant is violet; it is very much branched or almost simple; branches round, even, fragile, smooth, obtuse. The spores are elliptical, pale-ochraceous, sub-transparent, 10–12×6–7µ.

This plant is quite common around Chillicothe, and it has a wide distribution over the United States. The specimens in Figure 387 were found in Poke Hollow.