Clavaria fragilis
| Clavaria fragilis | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Clavariaceae |
| Genus: | Clavaria |
| Species: | C. fragilis |
| Binomial name | |
|
Clavaria fragilis Holmsk.: Fr. |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Species synonymy
|
|
| Clavaria fragilis | |
|---|---|
| Mycological characteristics | |
 |
smooth hymenium |
 |
no distinct cap |
 |
hymenium attachment is irregular or not applicable |
 |
spore print is white |
 |
ecology is saprotrophic |
 |
edibility: edible |
Clavaria fragilis, commonly known as fairy fingers, white worm coral, or white spindles, is a species of fungus in the family Clavariaceae. It is synonymous with Clavaria vermicularis. The fungus is the type species of the genus Clavaria and is a typical member of the clavarioid or club fungi. It produces tubular, unbranched, white basidiocarps (fruit bodies) that typically grow in clusters. The fruit bodies can reach dimensions of 15 cm (5.9 in) tall by 0.5 cm (0.2 in) thick. Clavaria fragilis is a saprobic species, growing in woodland litter or in old, unimproved grassland. It is widespread throughout temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere, but has also been reported from Australia and South Africa. The fungus is edible, but insubstantial and flavorless. There are several other small white coral-like fungi with which C. fragilis may be confused.
Clavaria fragilis was originally described from Denmark in 1790 by Danish naturalist and mycologist Theodor Holmskjold, and was sanctioned under this name by Elias Magnus Fries in his 1821 Systema Mycologicum. The Latin epithet fragilis refers to the brittle fruit bodies. The species was redescribed by Swedish mycologist Olof Swartz in 1811, using the name Clavaria vermicularis (the epithet meaning "wormlike"). Though it is a later synonym—and thus obsolete according to the principle of priority—the latter name is still frequently used today. There are several other names considered to be synonymous with C. fragilis by the online taxonomical database MycoBank (see the taxobox).
...
Wikipedia