General Information: Clavulinopsis fusiformis (Fries) Corner, ‘Golden spindles’ is similar to C. vermicularis, but forms dense tufts of canary-yellow, very fragile clubs joined in 2’s or 3’s below the soil level; the spores are also slightly different, being almost globose, hyaline under the microscope and 5-7 µm in diameter.
Clavaria fumosa Fries is similar to C. vermicularis and forms tufts of very fragile mouse-grey clubs with brownish tips; it produces elongate ellipsoid spores measuring 6-8 × 3-4 µm which are hyaline under the microscope. C. vermicularis and C. fumosa differ from Clavulinopsis in hyphal construction, but the differences are rather difficult to demonstrate to the beginner. Clavulinopsis helvola favours similar habits to C. fusiformis and although yellow in colour differs in the more orange-yellow colouration, but more particularly in the spores being rounded, 5-6 µm in diameter with large angular spines.
The earth-tongues, i.e. members of the family Geoglossaceae which are also found in pastures belong to an unrelated group of fungi, the Ascomycetes. If the clubs are crushed and examined under the microscope rows of sacs (asci) containing long thread-like ascospores are found—no basidia are to be seen.
Illustrations: Clav. fusiformis—WD 1049. C. vermicularis—WD 10410. C. fumosa—Hvass 303; WD 10411. Clav. helvola—Hvass 300; WD 1051.
Plate 57. Club-shaped and coral fungi
![[Larger illustration]](#467779198995390083_illo169lg.png.id-2352710162785966889.wrap-0.html.html){kind=link}
Clavulinopsis corniculata (Fries), Corner ([p. 171]).
Cap: absent. Fruit-body: complex; width 20-30 mm; length 20-40 mm.
Description: [Plate 57].