Clavaria fumosa

Morphological Features:

Fruitbody formed by an individual with a club-like shape whose size can exceed 5 cm in length by merely a few millimeters in width. It never grows solitary, as it always appears accompanied by numerous conspecifics forming clusters sometimes united at the base, or with an individual growth habit. It may be fusiform or grooved, cylindrical or curved, but always tapers toward the apex. Its color is variable but never reaches white; it may be pale ochre, leather-colored, or even yellowish cream, although the typical form is light ochre, watery.

Hymenium smooth and concolorous, situated on the external surface of the fruitbody.

Stipe absent as such; the area near the base may sometimes be lighter, but it can in no way be considered a stipe.

Flesh extremely fragile, partly because the fruitbodies are hollow, causing it to break easily. Internally it is lighter in color than externally, almost whitish. It has barely any odor and its taste is mild.

Habitat:

This is a heliophilous species, which we have always located in lowland grasslands, in damp and mossy areas. Whenever we have observed it, it has been in late autumn, around November or December. A very rare species worthy of protection.

Observations:

We are immensely fortunate to observe this rare species, which is poorly documented in the literature, almost every season. Its clustered growth strongly reminds us of Clavaria fragilis, although its appearance is different, as the latter is pure white; indeed, they often share the same habitat. Confusion with other species is unlikely given its habitat and morphological characteristics.